The Charlotte Hornets declined to exercise the 2027–28 rookie scale team option on French forward Tidjane Salaün, worth $10.4 million, according to reports by journalist Keith Smith. Selected sixth overall in the 2024 NBA Draft under basketball operations leader Jeff Peterson, Salaün now faces an uncertain future ahead of his unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2027.
The 10.4 Million Dollar Decision in Charlotte
The Hornets opted against guaranteeing the high-priced fourth-year salary for their former lottery pick. While the franchise did not issue a standalone individual press release confirming the move, the transaction became clear on Sunday, November 1, 2026. On that date, Charlotte announced it had exercised the rookie options for Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley while leaving Salaün off the list. Keith Smith subsequently confirmed that the front office declined the French international’s fourth-year team option before the regulatory deadline in early November.
Notable today for NBA transactions:The Charlotte Hornets did not exercise the 2027-28 rookie scale team option for Tidjane Salaun.The Oklahoma City thunder did not exercise the 2027-28 rookie scale team option for Nikola Topic.Both CHA & OKC picked up other team options.
The decision mirrors a parallel move by the New York Knicks regarding fellow 2024 first-round pick Pacôme Dadiet, whose $5.37 million option for 2027–28 was also declined. For Charlotte, passing on Salaün’s option creates immediate financial flexibility by removing a guaranteed 10.4 million-dollar commitment from the books for the 2027–28 campaign. Even so, league rules dictate that because the Hornets declined the rookie option, they cannot offer him a starting salary on any new contract that exceeds the abandoned option figure.
Career Statistics and Reduced Minutes in North Carolina
Since arriving in North Carolina from Cholet Basket, Salaün has appeared in 103 regular-season contests, making only 10 starts—all of which came during his 2024–25 rookie campaign. Across his career, he averages 5.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game, shooting 39.2 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc.
Despite flashes of offensive growth, his playing time has steadily declined. During the 2025–26 season, he logged 37 appearances with improved shooting splits of 50.3 percent overall and 43.4 percent from three-point range, though he spent a portion of the year contributing to the franchise’s G-League affiliate title run. Early in the 2026–27 season, Salaün averaged 5.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 54.2 percent shooting in just 13 minutes across six appearances, taking only 2.5 perimeter attempts per match.
Future Options and Expiration in June 2027
Salaün remains under contract through the conclusion of the 2026–27 season. Because his current deal expires in June 2027, the 21-year-old forward could attract interest via a trade prior to the deadline from rival teams looking to evaluate his upside without a multi-year financial burden.
C’était déjà le cas à Cholet, ça l’est encore plus en NBATidjane Salaün 🇫🇷 toujours le dernier à quitter l’entraînement, ça bosse dur dur(Oui ce soir c’est parquet rouge pétard à DC) pic.twitter.com/vrTFjV5Hgl
If he finishes the season in Charlotte, the organization retains the right to negotiate a fresh contract with the young Frenchman on new terms during the summer of 2027. His sustained professional commitment was highlighted ahead of a road game in Washington, where reporting from Tom Compayrot noted that Salaün remained the final player to leave the practice floor.
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