KJ Simpson’s first twenty games were defined by a brutal offensive slump and a desperate search for rotational stability. Even when he managed a decent scoring output during the Nov 11 vs LAL matchup, his 8 points were completely erased by a disastrous -10.7 impact score. Opposing ball-handlers relentlessly exploited his poor point-of-attack defense. He earned a rare start on Dec 07 vs DEN and poured in 16 points, yet still posted a frustrating -2.6 impact. While he found success driving the ball, the hidden cost of his night was a shaky 2-for-8 clip from the perimeter that dragged down his overall efficiency. He did occasionally find ways to contribute without shooting. During a Feb 25 vs BOS appearance, Simpson managed a +2.2 impact while scoring just 2 points because he transformed into a disruptive perimeter menace who blew up multiple drives. Unfortunately, those gritty defensive flashes were too rare to salvage a deeply erratic stretch of basketball.