Baby steps: Tidjane Salaün showed tangible progress against the Brooklyn Nets

Salaün's two-way performance against Brooklyn was encouraging for the Hornets.

Arthur Ellis-Imagn Images

Just about everything went right for the Charlotte Hornets in their dominant victory over the Brooklyn Nets to open up the 2025-26 NBA season.

Buried in the swath of highlights was an understated performance from a second-year player who is key in Charlotte's potential climb out of the Eastern Conference's basement: Tidjane Salaün.

The 20-year-old put together a modest stat line (10 points, four rebounds, one assist on 4-7 shooting and 2-3 from deep) that doesn't look like anything special at first glance. However, when you dig into the way he amassed those stats and compare it to how he played as a rookie, those numbers become notable.

Tidjane Salaün looked as comfortable as ever against Brooklyn

Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Salaün is one of the more emotive players in the Association. While you may question his ability to play winning basketball on a possession-to-possession basis at the NBA level, you can never question how much he cares about the game.

When Tidjane splashed his first three-point attempt against Brooklyn, he stomped back on defense with his fists pumping and joy coursing through his veins. That was the extent of his impact on the Hornets as a rookie - knocking down the occasional long-range jumper and injecting some juice into an otherwise lifeless unit with his contagious level of passion.

On Wednesday night against Brooklyn, Salaün flashed more than that. He was a two-way tour de force (relative to expectations) that was pivotal in Charlotte keeping the Nets at a stiff arm.

Was Wednesday night Tidjane’s best game as a Hornet?

He looked so much more comfortable sharing the floor with NBA-level initators.

Was able to use his physical tools to make an impact on defense/rebounds while strictly finishing plays on offense. pic.twitter.com/Jpq6V3OGfL

— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) October 24, 2025

When Tidjane touched the ball as a rookie, hilarity ensued. He was reckless in transition, flying up the floor moving faster than his brain could process.

While it was objectively ugly, Salaün should have never been thrust into scenarios like that. A rash of injuries to Charlotte's core offensive initiators pigeonholed Tidjane into a role he couldn't execute.

After an offseason roster makeover, the Hornets are much better suited to allow Salaün to thrive in a more limited role, and he's already proven up to the task.

Salaün's decision-making against the Nets was sharp. He still had a couple of whacky attempts at the rim, but his process in getting to those shots by decisively attacking closeouts was sound. He was a willing passer on drives, shown on his lone assist, a drive-and-kick pass to Brandon Miller who was open in the corner.

When Tidjane grabbed a rebound, he passed the ball a guard and got on his horse to stretch the defensve vertically. Salaün's energy his his best trait, and it is best weaponized off the ball in transition.

His hands were active on defense, he moved his feet well, and when he was put in easy positions to score either at the basket or behind the three-point line, he cashed in.

That is the vision for Tidjane Salaün in 2025-26: a play-finishing, hard-working, defensively-minded power forward that doesn't take anything off the table for Charlotte when he's on the floor. If Tidjane can be a star in his role, the sky is the limit for him.

His play against Brooklyn is sustainable, and as he continues to develop some more skills behind the scenes, it may just be the start of something special.

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