Hornets waive Pat Connaughton, keep Tidjane Salaun, reports say
Charlotte cut the veteran guard Friday, a day before a deadline, according to ESPN and The Stein Line.
- Connaughton: 2.6 points in 7 minutes a game in 2025-26
- Salaun: 6 points, 4 rebounds in 15.5 minutes a game
- Hornets went 44-38 in 2025-26
1 min read via Shams Charania, Marc SteinHow this story was written
The Charlotte Hornets are waiving veteran guard Pat Connaughton, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Friday. Marc Stein of The Stein Line said the move came a day before a deadline and keeps former No. 6 overall pick Tidjane Salaun on the roster.
Connaughton appeared in 42 games for Charlotte in 2025-26 without a start. He averaged 2.6 points in 7 minutes a game and shot 58.6% true shooting. Over his last 10 games he averaged 4.9 minutes.
Salaun, a forward, played 37 games last season, also without a start. He averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds in 15.5 minutes and shot 62.9% true shooting. His Keel Impact rating of -0.7 ranked 269th among 379 players with 500 minutes or more.
Charlotte finished 2025-26 at 44-38 with a net rating of 4.9, eighth in the league. The Hornets ranked seventh in offensive rating and 10th in defensive rating.
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Reported byShams Charania, Marc Stein
Shams Charania@ShamsCharania · ESPN
The Charlotte Hornets are waiving veteran Pat Connaughton, sources tell ESPN.
Marc Stein@TheSteinLine · The Stein Line
The Hornets have today waived Pat Connaughton one day before they had to … ensuring that former No. 6 overall pick Tidjane Salaun — Jeff Peterson’s first draft pick in Charlotte — remains on the roster. More NBA from @JakeLFischer and me:: https://t.co/Mo8fA8wFou https://t.co/7oj4jS5oTZ
Marc Stein@TheSteinLine · The Stein Line
The Pacers today waived James Johnson. Unlike Charlotte’s 15-man roster forcing Pat Connaughton’s release, Indiana is carrying 14 players. Apron concerns led to parting with a vet it hoped to keep as a locker room presence. No surprise if Johnson is re-signed later this season. https://t.co/eKd8qbC41z
From the reports quoted here and Keel Stats data; every number is checked against them before publishing.
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