Simpson produced 11 points, two assists, two steals, one rebound and one blocked shot in the 99-98 loss. He went 5-of-10 from the field, including 1-of-5 from 3-point range, in a season-high 16 minutes as the Hornets were eliminated from contention in the in-season tournament.

The 42nd pick had seven points in the second half and was active getting downhill toward the rim. He threw down a monstrous one-handed jam in the first quarter that earned a boisterous reaction from play-by-play announcer Eric Collins on FanDuel Sports Network Southeast.

Simpson, signed to a two-way contract, logged only his third appearance of the season, with the Hornets down LaMelo Ball (calf), Miles Bridges (knee), Tre Mann (back) and Grant Williams (knee), among others. He had totaled only two points, three rebounds and one assist in 15 minutes entering the contest.