1. Shake Milton
Despite receiving first-round grades from several draftniks, Milton ended up falling to the Sixers at 54 in the 2018 draft. The reason for his fall could be injury-related, as the former SMU guard suffered a stress fracture in his back during the pre-draft process.
Milton is a clear fit with the Sixers’ current roster — he can defend three positions, hit open shots and create in the pick-and-roll. He helps fix the Sixers’ lack of self-creation in the second unit and adds another versatile body to their defensive core. As a late second-round pick, he might be the steal of the draft.
The only issue is that the Sixers can’t give him a roster spot outright. As things currently stand, Jonah Bolden would give the Sixers 17 players under contract. There are ways to cut the roster down to 15, but it’s unlikely that Milton would be one of the 15 traditionally-rostered players.
That’s why the two-way contract is so valuable. The Sixers can retain his rights while allowing him to split time between the NBA and G-League. If Milton gets healthy and shows proper growth, then the Sixers can consider opening up a roster spot later in the season.
It’s rare to find ball-handlers who stand 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, even in the increasingly versatile modern NBA. Milton will need to improve his handles and become more reliable off the dribble, but his base skill set is impressive.
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Expect him to be with the team in some capacity next season.