NBA insider makes bold prediction about supposed Hornets draft bust

Tidjane Salaun has been quietly putting it together.

Dec 20, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) goes for the rebound in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Charlotte Hornets have really hit on their draft picks more often than not. Since 2020, they've really only had one bad draft (2021). 2024 was viewed as a rough one because the Hornets took a bold swing that didn't work out.

Tidjane Salaun, the second-youngest player in a weak draft class, was taken as a long-term project, but he did not look anywhere near NBA-level last season. Quietly, in year two, he's improved greatly.

Tidjane Salaun is way better in 2025-26

Dec 29, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) reacts after scoring during the first half agains the Milwaukee Bucks at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Tidjane Salaun has become so much better that it's hard to agree with the bust label that was being thrown around. He's been so solid that Salaun got the attention of Kevin O'Connor, who made an extremely bold prediction for Salaun in 2026.

🎙️ @KevinOConnor predicts that Tidjane Salaun will have a 30-point game for the Charlotte Hornets in 2026.

"Shooting 46% from 3, up from 28% as a rookie. Shot looks smoother, he's shooting it quicker, from deeper as well... he's using that three-pointer to attack closeouts." 👌 https://t.co/PfZUb3ooII pic.twitter.com/3g5XAJcNZg

— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 1, 2026

He predicts that Salaun will have a 30-point game for the Hornets before the season ends. "What a year from him in year two," he said. "Shooting 46% from 3, up from 28% as a rookie. Shot looks smoother, he's shooting it quicker, from deeper as well... he's using that three-pointer to attack closeouts."

Salaun had a 21-point game against the Toronto Raptors earlier in the season, and he did that in just 22 minutes. O'Connor thinks he will be able to crack that 30-point threshold at some point, which is something only LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Miles Bridges have done.

Whether or not he hits that point threshold in a game, Salaun is having a brilliant turnaround from year one to year two. Here are his numbers compared:

• Points: 5.9 > 6.8
• Shooting percentage: 33% > 50.5%
• Offensive rating: 99.4 > 115.5
• Defensive rating: 11.2 > 110.7
• Net rating: -11.9 > 4.8
• Effective field goal percentage: 41.4% > 61.9%
• True shooting: 45.7% > 63.5%
• Player impact estimate: 6.5 > 10.7
• Rebound percentage: 10.6% > 12%

Those are not just incremental increases. Salaun is substantially improved. Last year, the Hornets were 6.9 points worse with him on the floor. That meant they lost 12 expected wins. In 2025-26, the Hornets are 7.2 points better with him on the floor, translating to 17 added wins.

His growth has been one of the biggest surprises this year. If he can continue or even just stay around this level of production as a role player, then it's a huge win after how bad he was in 2024-25.

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