The San Antonio Spurs could add a young frenchman through the NBA Draft for the second consecutive season.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that NBA executives believe French forward Tidjane Salaun is a “sleeper pick” for the Spurs second first round selection at No. 8.
“Rival NBA executives who’ve spoken with HoopsHype believe Tidjane Salaun is a sleeper pick for the Spurs at No. 8 overall,” Scotto wrote. “It’s worth noting that Salaun and Spurs franchise cornerstone Victor Wembanyama share the same agency.”
San Antonio is in possession of the No. 4 and No. 8 picks in the 2024 Draft, with the latter being from the Toronto Raptors. Scotto’s mock has San Antonio taking Stephon Castle with the fourth pick and Nikola Topic with the eighth pick, but Salaun appears to be in play for that second pick.
He averaged 9.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 33 games for Cholet of the LNB Élite league in France. This is the exact league that Wembanyama played in prior to being selected by the Spurs in 2023, and Salaun could potentially have an easier transition to the NBA if he were to be alongside a familiar face.
San Antonio is in desperate need for talent. The Spurs went 22-60 and missed the postseason for the fifth consecutive season. This came despite Wembanyama having a strong rookie season that saw him claim the Rookie of the Year award.
While the selections in this year’s draft likely won’t catapult the Spurs into contention immediately, it is the first time San Antonio can use the draft to build around Wembanyama. With this in mind, drafting a fellow French player appears to be an intriguing option.