Rockets Draft: The Case for Selecting Tidjane Salaun

The NBA Draft Lottery is less than two weeks away, as teams around the league await the draft order to be finalized for the first 14 selections of the 2024 NBA Draft. The Houston Rockets are projected to pick just inside of the top 10 (via the Brooklyn Nets), but Houston doesn’t have its own pick. Even then, a single draft pick in that range will allow the Rockets to add a player who can instantly be added to the young core. 

Although there isn’t a clear top prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft at this point, there’s quite a bit of variability in who could be available when the Rockets are on the clock. With that in mind, if Tidjane Salaun is on the board when Houston drafts, he should be someone the front office heavily considers.

A French wing, Salaun boasts the size of a forward with some guard tools. He’s known for being a knockdown shooter from the perimeter, but also is effective as a slasher and finisher at the rim. He’s a good athlete with the vertical pop to rise above defenders and finish strong. It’s always a difficult evaluation for international players who play in leagues and systems that are very different than the NBA, but Salaun has skills that will translate. He’s also one of the youngest prospects in this class and has been given a tremendous amount of exposure to high level events in recent years. 

At 6-foot-9, Salaun fits the mold of a player who could operate at a very high level next to guys like Tari Eason or Jabari Smith Jr. among others. He would allow Houston to play big, but also fast. In the modern NBA, positional size and versatility is a priority, which is something Salaun helps with. He would be a reserve as a rookie, but has the upside to one day be a starter for the Rockets. 

If Salaun is still on the board when Houston is up to pick, he would be a quality addition to this young Rockets core.

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