Grading Charlotte's NBA Draft
The Hornets took a lengthy French wing and an underrated college prospect with their six picks.
CHARLOTTE — New Hornets GM Jeff Peterson confidently stood in front of dozens of confused, slightly amused reporters waiting for an explanation on their recent first-rounder. Many in the swarm of media were unaware of Salaun — the freckle-faced Frenchman named as one of the draft’s biggest surprises, the lanky wing inviting comparisons to — Al-Farouq Aminu and Chandler Parsons.
However, Peterson, donning one of his characteristic smiles, both quieted the media and sparked more long-term questions with one sentence.
“He is the guy that we had organizational alignment and conviction in from the very beginning,” Peterson said. “I couldn’t be more thrilled that we have him.”
The Hornets’ risky move — prioritizing the raw 18-year-old over trading for bigger name college prospects or trading away their pick — shows their intent as they move forward with a new era of Hornets basketball. Peterson and crew are prioritizing the future.
The Hornets are trending towards an increasingly younger core. LaMelo Ball is only 22 years old (would you believe it?), Brandon Miller is 21, and Mark Williams is 22. Salaun, who turns 19 in August, is by no means a finished product, but the feeling within Spectrum Center is that they’re rebuilding their squad into something great.
What’s to hate about Tidjane Salaun?
The Hornets took 6’9 wing Salaun with the sixth overall pick, the third French prospect to hear his name called up after Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr. Salaun, a Paris native who plied his trade with Cholet Basket in France’s LNB Pro A, is a massive stock riser. Going into the 23/24 season, Salaun had made three first-team appearances for Cholet, playing a total of 17 minutes. He’s exploded the past season, steadily rising through mock drafts and making a name for himself as a lottery pick.
Salaun can step in and make a huge difference for the Hornets. He’s best suited as a wing, and his game right now looks like he’ll blossom into a 3-and-D forward. He can play as a forward for Charlotte, especially with Charlotte’s lack of frontcourt options. Depending on how his season goes, he can space the floor with his shooting or thrive in pick-and-roll situations. The ceiling is sky-high for Salaun and his fit with the Hornets, and his role should shift as the Hornets figure out what their roster will look like in 2024.
He boasts a 6’9 frame with a seven-foot wingspan, and despite his lanky arms, he can put on a few pounds of muscle as his career progresses. His size and thrilling athleticism mark him out as an intriguing draft prospect. He is versatile — a solid shooter and a pesky defender, and he has shown potential to create his shot off the dribble.
However, like most of the overseas prospects taken throughout the draft, Salaun is still an unfinished product. Salaun’s potential to make an impact in Charlotte hinges on his three-point shooting (he shot 33% last season) and his ability to polish his defending skills. Salaun is still a long way away from having a truly meaningful impact on the league, and although his build and skillset are promising, he still needs to polish his fundamentals before he has a meaningful impact on the league.
I feel like taking Salaun, an untested wing with several facets of his game still needing to be improved, is one of the biggest gambles of the draft. However, Salaun is still a promising player, especially thanks to his versatility, athleticism, size, and potential to develop into a solid shooter. He was arguably the best big on the board ahead of Donovan Clingan (#7) and Zach Edey (#9). However, he’s still very raw, untested, and likely won’t have a huge impact in his rookie year. Count on his Summer League debut setting some expectations for Salaun. GRADE: B
What are KJ Simpson’s expectations?
If the name KJ Simpson sounds similar to you, it’s because you know of his thrilling, suspenseful buzzer-beater against Florida in the recent tournament. It was Simpson who curled toward the sideline, received a Cody Williams inbound pass, took a dribble, and then hit a fadeaway over Zyon Pullin. The ball teetered on the rim, hesitantly bouncing around and leaving the whole world on edge before finally going in. College basketball’s answer to that Kawhi Leonard play. But, KJ Simpson is much, much more than one moment — rather he can make his case as arguably one of the best guards in college basketball.
KJ Simpson slots in as a ballhandler for Charlotte who can come off the bench, shoot well, and run the Hornets’ offense. Unlike Salaun, Simpson is someone who should be able to step in and contribute to Charlotte. This is a good add for a Hornets side lacking in true playmaking talent, with only Ball and Vasilijie Micić the truest point guards in the backcourt rotation. Simpson figures to play a semi-important role in Charlotte’s rotation thanks to his tenacity and proven playmaking ability.
Simpson would be a lottery pick if he was simply three inches taller. Standing squarely at six feet tall, the Colorado guard is agile, has impressive ballhandling skills, and creates shots for teammates and himself alike. Simpson shot 43% from range and 88% from the line. He’s accurate from range, crafty under the rim, and knows how to run an offense to the T. He was the primary force in Colorado’s run to the Pac-12 championship thanks to his ability to run the offense, play stifling defense, and keep the team composed.
The only problem? Simpson, despite his amazing technical skills, is still only six feet tall. He’s not physically gifted and he’s not very athletic, so he figures to be a mismatch against bigger, stronger guards. We saw it while he was at Colorado — opposing Pac-12 offenses would target Simpson due to his physical weakness. It’s something that will likely prevent Simpson from having a big role at Charlotte
Simpson is one of the biggest steals of the draft. It’s a mystery how he fell as low as #42 in the draft — some had him in the low 30s. Simpson should be able to step in and serve as a ballhandler for Charlotte, while also showcasing his mental intensity, intelligence, and leadership skills. GRADE: A
Charlotte announces loaded Summer League roster
Brandon Miller will join Charlotte in their slate of Summer League matches when the team travels to Vegas. Miller, who wrapped up a productive rookie season, will join the USA Men’s Select Team from July 5-8 to prepare the American national team for the upcoming Paris Olympics. Miller will then rejoin the team after.
Miller joins a squad of 20, with most competing for an elusive roster spot or a two-way deal. The Summer League allows rookies and second-year players to develop their game, while also allowing free agents and undrafted players to get one more chance to land on an NBA roster. Leaky Black, Nick Smith Jr., and Bryce McGowens, who all are signed to the Hornets’ main roster, will all join Miller.
The most intriguing prospects on the team include West Virginia guard RaeQuan Battle, who was a four-star coming out of high school and averaged 16.1 points per game throughout last season. UNC Asheville big Drew Pember, who averaged north of 20 ppg over last season and won the Big South’s Player of the Year Award two straight times, also signed a Summer League contract with the team.
Tulane wing Kevin Cross (17.5 ppg) and Michigan State forward Malik Hall (12.7 ppg) will also join the squad.
Salaun, part of Charlotte’s Summer League squad, suffered a ‘minor laceration near his knee’, but is set to join the team during their matches in Sacramento and Vegas. Simpson suffered a hamstring injury and will miss the entirety of Charlotte’s Summer League matches.
The full squad:
RaeQuan Battle (West Virginia, rookie), Kevin Cross (Tulane, rookie), Drew Pember (UNC Asheville, rookie), Malik Hall (Michigan State, rookie),
Leaky Black (Hornets, one-year vet), Caleb McConnell (Oklahoma City Blue, one-year vet), Brandon Miller (Hornets, one-year vet), Brandon Slater (Maine Celtics, one-year vet), Nick Smith Jr. (Hornets, one-year vet), Jake Stephens (Capital City Go-Go, one-year vet)
Mouhamadou Gueye (Raptors 905, two-year vet), Bryce McGowens (Hornets, two-year vet), Pedro Bradshaw (Indiana Mad Ants, three-year vet), Marcus Garrett (Greensboro Swarm, three-year vet), James Banks III (Maine Celtics, four-year vet), Zavier Simpson (Memphis Grizzlies, four-year vet), Matt Morgan (London Lions, five-year vet)
The schedule:
California Classic Summer League:
July 6 vs. San Antonio on NBA TV, July 7 vs. Chinese national team on ESPN2, July 8 vs. Sacramento on NBA TV
NBA2K25 Summer League:
July 13 vs. New York on ESPN2, July 16 vs. Denver on ESPN2, July 17 vs. Boston on NBA TV, July 19 vs. Portland on ESPN2