Will the Hornets’ roster shift without Salaun? The team announced it won’t trigger the French forward’s fourth‑year option for 2027/28, per Rod Boone on Twitter.
The $10,445,632 option was expected to be dropped after Charlotte announced they were picking up Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley’s deals on Sunday, and now it’s official.
Charlotte enjoys a relatively healthy cap sheet, and Salaun was Jeff Peterson’s first draft pick after taking over in 2024. In my view, the front office missed a chance to lock in a young asset.
At 6’10”, the Frenchman has logged 103 games, averaging 5.9 points, 4.3 rebounds in 18.4 minutes, shooting .392/.330/.694 – numbers that still leave room for growth.
After sitting out the season opener, Salaun appeared in the next seven games, but his minutes stayed modest; Monday marked only his third outing with over 12 minutes.
Consequently, Salaun heads toward unrestricted free agency in the 2027 offseason. If he finishes the year on his current deal, the Hornets—or a new team if traded—keep his Bird rights but can’t exceed the $10.4M option value, while rivals could offer more.