There’s a new chapter in KJ Simpson Jr.’s story.

A couple of weeks ago, the former Colorado Buffalo was a man without an NBA home. Now, he’s back in his second home.

“It feels great. It feels like home. This is the first place I lived other than California,” the newest member of the Nuggets said after Wednesday’s win over the Celtics at Ball Arena.

“When I got the call I was coming here, it was full circle. I’m just thankful for the opportunity, thankful for the organization giving me the opportunity. God don’t make no mistakes. Just because you can’t see the future or you don’t know what the plan is doesn’t mean it’s not for you.”

Charlotte, the team that drafted the 6-foot-2 guard with the 42^nd pick of the 2024 draft, waived him on Feb. 6. Once the Nuggets converted Spencer Jones to a standard roster spot on Feb. 19, the franchise wasted little time signing Simpson to the open two-way contract.

“I got so much to prove,” Simpson said.

“After getting waived and all that, my shoulders are mad heavy. I’m just carrying a lot of weight, and I can’t wait to continue to play with that chip.”

 A week later, Simpson made his Denver debut as a member of the Nuggets. That wasn’t exactly the plan coming into the night.

“KJ didn’t show up here thinking he’s going to play,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “He warmed up, it seems like, four hours before the game.”

When it was determined that Jamal Murray was too sick to play after the first quarter, the Nuggets coach didn’t have many options at point guard. Jalen Pickett was in street clothes with right knee soreness. That left Bruce Brown and Simpson, and Brown couldn’t play every minute.

“I felt like it was appropriate to let him play in the first half out of fairness, so I gave him a few minutes there,” Adelman said.

Simpson missed his only shot of the first half, a pull-up jumper from the elbow, but Adelman thought the 23-year-old looked comfortable enough to give him some more run in the second half. Adelman called Simpson’s number again with Denver ahead by three in the final four minutes of the third quarter.

A few minutes later, Simpson had a sequence he won’t soon forget. With the Nuggets in the middle of a 9-0 run, Celtics guard Jaylen Brown threw the ball into the backcourt where there was no one standing between Simpson and the rim. A dribble later, Simpson was elevating for a one-handed dunk in front of Derrick White, another former Buff. That made it a 10-point game. Simpson immediately popped the “Denver” on the front of his jersey to the raucous home crowd.

“I was just trying to make sure I hunted that ball down. They’re clowning me, because I didn’t get up, as I usually do. I still just got to get used to the altitude again. It was great. It was a great momentum shift,” Simpson said.

“I got a little bit hyped.”

It went down as the only bucket of his night, but he grabbed four rebounds and dished out four assists. The Nuggets won the 14 minutes Simpson played by 13 points.

“That’s a professional player, and that’s what you look for when you sign these guys. Your front office is looking for people that are quality people that are ready to play,” Adelman said.

“Really cool for KJ, I know he had a lot of fans, obviously, here.”

There might be more moments like that in the near future. Pickett will scrimmage against Denver’s coaches Thursday, before his availability for Friday’s game against Oklahoma City will be determined, while Murray was sick enough to be sent home.

“He looked awful. They gave him all the medication. It did not help,” Adelman said. “Jamal has played through all kinds of stuff. If he says he’s sick, he’s really, really sick.”

While Simpson is still getting accustomed to Denver’s brand of basketball, he’s willing to adjust on the fly like he did Wednesday.

“It’s just about staying ready. That’s been the story of my life, staying ready, making the most of opportunities. Unfortunately, Jamal went out, and I had to step up. When my name was called, I just wanted to go out there and just make an impact – whatever that took defensively, push the pace offensively,” Simpson said.

“I’m just going to continue to do that. Whatever the team needs, that’s the type of player I am. I can adapt easy to any situation.”