The Hornets have selected KJ Simpson with the No. 42 pick in the draft.
6’1.5” guards aren’t always appealing in the modern NBA, but Simpson meets the criteria. He plays much bigger than his listed height, and he averaged 19.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.1 triples on elite shooting splits last season. He’ll be 22 years old before the season starts, but aside from his age and size, Simpson is an excellent prospect. He checks a lot of boxes, and while smaller guards have natural limitations on defense, he shouldn’t be a liability on that end. He was one of the most productive prospects in college basketball last season, and it is difficult to find holes in his game. He’ll compete with Tre Mann and Vasilije Micic for the role of backup point guard behind LaMelo Ball. If he earns the job, he could be a productive player, though his upside will be capped in a reserve role.
