The young Frenchman is poised for a lottery selection.
One difficult aspect for NBA executives and scouts alike when it comes to the NBA Draft is assessing where a prospect’s raw talent currently lies versus where they believe the player could be in the future. Players who do not look spectacular on the court heading into the draft can turn it around in a number of years and continue to prove scouts and executives alike wrong for many years after. This is one of the reasons the NBA Draft is such a lottery — ultimately assessing talent now versus what talent can be is a very difficult job, the success of which can determine the medium-long term future of your NBA team.
Today’s prospect, 18-year-old French forward Tidjane Salaun, is one of the younger entrants in this draft class and an example of assessing raw talent now versus what the potential may become. His stats for the season will not jump out at you, and is a case of perhaps of what we were talking about before. For Cholet in France, Salaun averaged 9.7 points per game on 40.6% shooting from the field on 8.2 field goal attempts, 31.6% from three on 4.3 attempts, 74.8% on 2.2 free throw attempts, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 offensive rebounds, 0.89 assists, one steal, 1.2 turnovers and 2.4 personal fouls in 23.4 minutes a game in 54 games played in all competitions, per RealGM.
The shooting numbers there won’t blow you away, but what I think is telling that in France’s top division, Cholet place a lot of trust in Salaun, at 18 years old, to play a major role in their rotation across a long season: 54 games. It’s not a developmental team like some outfits in Europe, and relegation is always a looming threat — but not for Cholet who finished sixth in France’s top division, so the contributions of Salaun are that much more impactful.
But without further adieu, let’s take a look at the film and see what sort of prospect Tidjane Salaun is.
Defense
Salaun’s strongest aspect of his game right now is his defense, and part of that is because he has fantastic physical attributes that provide great defensive potential. Measured at just under 6 feet and 9 inches without shoes at the NBA Draft Combine with a 7-foot-1-inch wingspan, there’s obviously a lot to like about how these physical attributes may translate.
Let’s look at this length/wingspan in action.
Salaun can make winning plays, where with a two-point lead with 3.8 seconds remaining in the game and a key defensive possession to come out of a timeout, Salaun intercepts the inbounds pass and seals the game with the dunk at the buzzer, an opportunity created by instinct and length:
Salaun again combines length with instincts and intercepts the intended pass and dunks at the rim at the other end:
Salaun can be a disruptive defender, and he knocks the ball free from behind for the steal and creates another offensive opportunity for his team:
Tracking back in transition, Salaun hustles back and gets his hands in the passing lane to his teammate and comes up with a steal:
Salaun’s length can also be utilized in his shot contests, whether it’s on a jumpshot:
Or at the rim, where Salaun uses his verticality to make a challenge, and a good challenge on this particular play, but it doesn’t prevent the basket on this particular occasion on this possession:
Again, Salaun gets his hands straight up (a 9-foot-2 inch standing reach) to put himself in a good position to deter a shot but is just shifted sufficiently enough to give up some space to allow the shot at the rim, one which is made:
A good rotation here from Salaun, and he rises to challenge the shot at the rim, helping force a miss:
Salaun moves well — a lot more fluidly than Bobi Klintman, who we looked at recently at this size and position — and his size, agility and length help him be a switchy defender.
Here, Salaun switches and helps prevent the penetration, even though the ball is kicked away from Salaun, and the three is made:
Salaun provides multiple efforts on this possession, switching a couple of times before contesting a long two-pointer:
On the perimeter, Salaun applies physical pressure and hounds the ball-handler on the switch and does excellently. But when he goes for the reach, he gives a moment of space and falls behind on the drive:
Salaun can switch, but against smaller guards ends up falling behind somewhat, and in general at times Salaun can find himself beaten on these switches.
On a switch in the corner, Salaun is undone by the dribble-drive combination and is beaten on the drive. And so, it leads to a foul:
Again, the switch occurs on the perimeter, but Salaun is beaten and it leads to the defense collapsing and the basket scored:
There are other moments that I enjoyed from Salaun — small things that add up in a game.
Here, Salaun uses his length to dig on the drive, and he does well to disrupt the drive with a strong dig:
He covers ground well defensively, tracking back here and cutting off the path to the rim:
It’s only natural that, at this stage in his development, Salaun can be an inconsistent defender, and I found sometimes his defensive intensity can be up and down in games, but at 18 years old, there isstill a lot to like. Salaun may not be an above the rim athlete, but he’s agile, and his physicals/measurements in combination with his instincts will really endear him to NBA teams on the defensive end.
Offense/scoring
Just over half of Salaun’s total field goal attempts were three-pointers, so it’s as good a place as any to start offensively. Salaun only shot 31% from three on over four attempts per game but wasn’t shy about letting the ball fly from deep.
Let’s take a look at some of Salaun’s makes and get a look at the shot and some of the manners of which Salaun made some of his threes.
Salaun shows some potential of range shooting, connecting on a deeper three on this possession on the catch-and-shoot:
Above the break, Salaun catches and rises and connects:
As the ball is swung, it finds its way to Salaun in the corner and he rises up to hit the corner three:
Another corner three here, but Salaun does a good job to fake his way into some space and hits the three:
Again, Salaun shows his potential to shoot at range and hits a straightaway, confident three:
However, shooting 31% from three on over four attempts means that something isn’t quite working from three right now for Salaun.
I don’t always love his release. It looks a little off at times but this is to be expected as consistency is built:
There were also times where Salaun attempted those longer three-point attempts but left them quite short:
Again, a deep three attempted from Salaun, but it doesn’t fall on this occasion:
Salaun’s threes are more successful in catch-and-shoot scenarios but come with mixed success when he works off the dribble, missing this corner three:
Here, Salaun mishandles the ball and the opportunity for a three disappears, but he elects to take this ill-advised three anyways and misses:
From the corner, Salaun airballs a three:
As you would probably expect, there is a great deal of inconsistency in Salaun’s jumper and it more than likely needs an adjustment to be made to it before it becomes more successful. But Salaun’s success from three did not deter him from taking threes without hesitation, and that’s something you can work with when the shot improves.
Let’s look at some of Salaun’s work inside the arc, which was a little more efficient but still in need of refinement.
I enjoyed some of Salaun’s movement off the ball: he was active in his movement, looking to set screens and this movement opened up opportunities, such as this cut from the corner where Salaun is found with the alley-oop:
Above the break, Salaun makes the cut, receives the ball in front of the rim and has a great opportunity at the rim but can’t convert this time. But still, a great opening was created with his movement nevertheless:
This is an interesting possession where Salaun showcases his potential to pass over the defense with his height, then makes the cut, receives the ball and is fouled at the rim, leading to free throws:
Moving with the ball this time (driving with the ball), Salaun drives from the wing and attacks the wing, finishing with the dunk:
From the top of the three-point line, Salaun drives into the space — his long strides carrying him into the paint — makes the step, adjusts to take the contact and make the shot for the and-1:
Salaun averages over two free throw attempts per contest, and these can be accrued on these drives too:
From the corner this time, Salaun drives using his off-hand and draws the contact, the foul, and the free throws on the attempt at the rim:
However, Salaun’s decision-making sometimes contributes to some struggles offensively.
In transition, Salaun receives the ball but elects to attack the defender when perhaps he should get off the ball. In the end the shot is turned away:
On the drive here, Salaun gets a little out of control and puts up maybe a less than ideal runner:
In closing…
Tidjane Salaun is one of the younger prospects in this NBA Draft, turning 19 in August. He has great physical attributes that make him an intriguing defensive prospect. He’s got size on his side, an excellent wingspan, good lateral movement which helps him switch defensively but struggles with guards when switched. Salaun’s length helps him dig on drives, challenge shots with strong verticality, close space on passing lanes and intercept intended passes for steals, in addition to passing and shooting over defenses on occasion too. Add this length to a strong motor and good defensive instincts, and you have a potentially very solid defender who might be able to defend multiple positions.
Salaun projects as a forward that can maybe play some three/four. I think his physical attributes project better at those positions rather than a small-ball five — I think right now, he hasn’t got the frame for that in the NBA. But defensively there’s a lot to be enamoured by with Salaun; it’s by far his best aspect of his game right now.
Salaun is a longer-term project, and while his defense is workable, his offense is a long way off right now, especially his three-point shooting which will be key in determining his future success as an NBA prospect. Salaun has confidence in his offensive game and his shot, and this can produce mixed results. But at age 18 there’s enough flashes to be impressed with. It’s noteworthy that — despite these offensive inefficiencies — Salaun was still a key contributor and held a major role in the rotation at aged 18 for a good team in France’s top division — and made winning plays defensively.
In a draft that may lack top-end talent that may not give you immediate returns, a longer-term project may be the key to success in this NBA Draft, and Salaun may provide one of the better opportunities for this. I have concerns as to what Salaun’s ultimate ceiling is in the NBA, but it is still very early in that process. Salaun needs a good development program, and whoever selects Salaun, especially if it’s in the first round, needs to find a way to provide that.
Let’s see what other draft analysts are reporting when it comes to Tidjane Salaun.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic mocks Salaun as high as 12th overall, with this to add of the Frenchman:
The Thunder have a loaded core with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. They have a ton of effective role players. But they need a player who provides more size who also fits into their dribble-pass-shoot mold, especially if it also includes high on-court intelligence and strong character.
Salaun ticks just about all of those boxes. He is a big forward with some perimeter skill who has been productive for his youth in the French League and Basketball Champions League this season. He averaged 9.5 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 32 percent from behind the 3-point line. He has a smooth stroke and also shows some upside handling the ball in transition.
More importantly, Salaun simply plays hard and has terrific basketball character. He is aggressive and willing to playing physically in the paint despite a still-developing frame. His motor runs hot, and he’s clearly competitive out there on the court. He would make an intriguing potential long-term frontcourt partner for Holmgren if things broke right for him.
There’s no doubt at all that Salaun is a willingly physical player with a great motor, and the fit at this position with the Thunder makes a lot of sense. It may not make as much sense for other teams, but it would be a great spot for Salaun to land.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report also mocks Salaun to the Thunder at 12th overall, adding:
Sources indicate that Tijane Salaun will work out for the Oklahoma City Thunder, though he also has big workouts scheduled with top-10 teams, including the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers.
He’ll have a chance to rise higher over the next few weeks with a tempting combo of big-man size, shotmaking and athleticism for defense and finishing.
Salaun, who made an impressive 74 threes as a 6’9” 18-year-old, continued to show NBA teams his shooting range. Though his handle and self-creation remain limited, he’s still finding ways to earn easy baskets from off the ball, tapping into his size and motor.
The only thing I’d add to this is while Salaun did make 74 threes (some of which were deep as we saw), he attempted 237 of them.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer projects Salaun as high as seventh overall, and he makes the case for such a high selection:
Salaun is incredibly raw, but the Blazers can afford to be patient with a high-upside forward who stands at 6-foot-9 and plays hard as hell in a tough French league. The Blazers are young enough and have other picks to make safer bets.
Young talent with the raw qualities to potentially become a versatile two-way star.
PLUSES
Locked-in defender who is a nuisance off the ball, digging in to help on drivers and using his long arms to poke at the ball. He’s always contesting shots at the rim, playing with his arms up in the passing lanes, and fighting through screens. With his length, quickness, and mindset, he has the traits to be a versatile defender who can switch across most perimeter positions.
Experiencing the best season of his career shooting 3s. He constantly moves behind the arc to get himself open and shows an eagerness to call for the ball. He gets his feet set quickly, and has a high, smooth release. If his shot is for real, his size could make him a major weapon.
Athletic finisher who makes himself available for lobs at the rim by running hard on the break and staying active within the flow of the offense.
Always looking for chances to cut to the rim and set screens, both on the ball and off the ball. He will be at his best if drafted by a team that utilizes lots of motion. And even though he needs to improve his decision-making, he shows a real desire to pass the ball.
If the flashes of shot creation turn into real results, he will lock himself in as a top pick. He has some nasty moves, but his off-the-dribble game remains a bit clunky at this point.
MINUSES
Needs to become a more fundamental on-ball defender to reach his full potential. He falls out of position and gets crossed up way too often.
Lacks shooting ability off the dribble. His handle is loose. He often looks the part, generating space with side-steps and stepbacks, but he often misses horribly with bricks off the backboard.
Until this year, he’s never been a good shooter. And there are some worrisome trends that his touch isn’t what it seems: He lacks a reliable floater, struggles to convert touch layups, and still shoots only about 70 percent from the line.
Sloppy passer who regularly throws the ball straight to defenders. He also has a tendency to rush simple plays and misread opponents.
The pick at seventh makes sense as a ‘we’re in no rush here,’ type of pick, and that would have to be the case with Salaun — Portland would be a good spot for that. O’Connor’s assessment of Salaun’s game I think is the most accurate out there, especially when it comes to his minuses on the court, the improvements on on-ball defense/getting crossed, shooting off the dribble and loose handle.
As part of Jonathan Givony’s and Jeremy Woo’s mock draft on ESPN, Woo mocks Salaun at eighth overall to the San Antonio Spurs:
Salaun has arrived in the U.S. for workouts, but will head back overseas next week to the NBA’s pre-draft camp in Treviso, Italy, to complete his required medicals and testing. He has gained steam as a lottery candidate after finishing his season in strong form, showcasing his physical tools and potential versatility at either forward spot.
Salaun, yet to turn 19, is still a ways away from contributing at a high level, but the room for long-term growth makes him an appealing development pick in the mid-to-late lottery. His familiarity with Victor Wembanyama likely doesn’t hurt his case as an option for San Antonio, but the Spurs are considering a handful of prospects at this spot, including Dillingham, Nikola Topic, Cody Williams and Dalton Knecht. — Woo
The Atlanta Hawks are linked to rumors in the build-up to the NBA Draft, and that includes trading down from the number one spot. However, I think trading this far down — in this 7-12 range — may be a little far. And even in this spot I think it’s more likely they select a prospect who has more potential to help the Hawks at this current stage. A project like Salaun I don’t think will appeal to the Hawks at this time.
Regardless, it certainly seems as though Salaun may land inside the top-10, but teams are going to have to wait three to four years to see any return on such a high selection. Can Tidjane Salaun develop into one of the steals of the draft?
Only time will tell…