The Three Biggest Questions Facing the Hornets in Summer League

Summer League play will be getting underway this weekend for the Charlotte Hornets, and there are three storylines I'll be paying close attention to.

Does Tidjane Salaün show signs of putting it together?

Mar 3, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) warms up before a game against the Dallas Mavericks the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Hornets knew exactly what they signed up for when they took Tidjane Salaün with the sixth overall pick a few years back. He was a long-term project that had a ton of upside, and while that really hasn't come to fruition just yet, there is still time for him to turn things around and become a quality NBA player.

We saw it in spurts last season, where it looked like things were starting to slow down for him, and he played with more confidence. Unfortunately, he still had those moments where he looked out of place and undeserving of a spot on the NBA roster.

It's not necessarily a now-or-never situation for Salaün, but when you're entering your third Summer League, you need to put on a strong showing and plant a seed of hope in the front office's mind.

Is Christian Anderson ready to be the primary backup point guard?

Jeff Peterson hasn't made another move at point guard since trading LaMelo Ball, and although it would make sense for him to add a veteran to the group, perhaps a strong showing from Anderson could give him the confidence to roll with a Coby White-Christian Anderson one-two punch this season.

Going out there and dropping 18 and six per game doesn't guarantee that it will translate over to the regular season, but it would sure bring a sigh of relief to Hornets fans, who are seriously skeptical of the point guard situation, and rightfully so.

Anderson didn't let his size, or lack thereof, impact his production at the collegiate level, and I don't expect it to in the NBA either. He's been smaller all his life and has always found a way to be among the best on the floor. Does he look like someone who is capable of running the second unit from day one, though?

Does Steinbach firmly position himself in the top two of the depth chart?

A year ago, we were all scratching our heads, wondering why in the world Jeff Peterson felt comfortable moving into the season with Moussa Diabaté, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Mason Plumlee as the team's three options at center. Don't forget, Plumlee agreed to terms on the first day of free agency, too.

Boy, did he prove us all wrong. Diabaté played well in flashes during the 2024-25 season, but he really upped his game this past season, proving that he can be one of the best at his position, despite not being a legitimate scoring threat. And Kalkbrenner, I mean, for a second-round pick, he quickly showed that he can be a reliable backup.

The Hornets think very highly of Hannes Steinbach and see him as someone who has starting potential. Is he going to be right away? Probably not as long as Diabaté remains a part of Charlotte's immediate plans. But he could certainly be groomed as the future, leapfrogging Kalkbrenner.

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