Can Shake Milton Refind His Footing in Philadelphia?
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Following the Philadelphia 76ers' elimination from the 2021 NBA playoffs, Shake Milton appeared to be in a position to get more minutes on the court in the following season.
Milton earned this position due to his performances during the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, a series in which Milton pulled through when the team needed him most, delivering 14 points and three rebounds in game two.
However, during the following season, the hype and excitement surrounding Milton seemed to die down as his start to the season was delayed due to a rolled ankle. But when Milton overcame his injury and made his return, he delivered the numbers which fans had been expecting.
Throughout the first half of the season, Milton averaged 10.5 points, three assists, and three rebounds across 25 minutes on the court each game.
It was a little before the halfway point in the season when the injury bug reared its head again as Milton suffered a back injury against the Houston Rockets.
When Milton returned a month later, he had lost his momentum, only averaging six points, two assists, and two rebounds per game over the remainder of the season.
These lackluster performances would carry into the playoffs, where he would still average five points per game while shooting a respectable 47 percent.
One of the first moves of the offseason for the Sixers was to pick up Milton's option for the 2023 season. So, it's clear that the organization has faith in him to take the next step in his development this season.
The question would then stand, what is the next step for Shake Milton?
If Milton wants to remain a part of the City of Brotherly Love, the first step would be to get himself back on track towards where he was in 2020-21.
This isn't something that is out of reach for Milton, as he averaged good numbers prior to being injured and even had the occasional breakout game.
One example would be in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Miami Heat, where Milton scored 15 points on 6-8 shooting.
As it stands, Milton could start as the sixth man for the upcoming season as he won't start before either Tyrese Maxey or James Harden, depending on who Doc Rivers wants at the point guard position.
De'Anthony Melton may also stand in Milton's way for the sixth-man spot. With Memphis, Melton played a similar role to Milton as well as produced similar stats to Milton, averaging 10.8 points and 2.7 assists per game.
If Milton takes a page out of Maxey's book and really shows himself to be a better player than who he currently is, another contract could come his way at the end of the season.
Using this upcoming season to work on his offensive ability with Harden could help him out in the long run and maybe even during his time in Philadelphia.
If he doesn't, he'll remain a trade sweetener as there are other teams within the league who need a blossoming guard. For Philadelphia, Milton's development period may be taking longer than they have with players like Joel Embiid and Harden hungry for Finals experience.
