Philadelphia 76ers: Shake Milton has earned the 5th starting spot

The Philadelphia 76ers, amid chaos, may have found a small source of stability.

The Philadelphia 76ers have had to improvise in the absence of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. While it has not yet translated to wins — not on the road, at least — it has given us an extended look at the supporting cast.

No player has taken greater advantage of his newfound playing time than Shake Milton, who stepped into the starting point guard role after Simmons’ injury. In his five games as a starter, Milton has averaged 19.4 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals. He’s shooting 61.4 percent from the field and 65.5 percent from deep, for good measure.

Milton has effectively earned the status of No. 2 option behind Tobias Harris for as long as Embiid and Simmons straddle the sideline. He will eventually simmer down — he scored just 12 points in Tuesday’s loss to the Lakers — but it’s abundantly clear Milton has the tools to contribute in a meaningful capacity.

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He even tied the record for most consecutive threes made, nailing 13 (!) in a row over a three-game span. He is spotting up and pulling up proficiently from deep. He’s also a smart playmaker and a solid defender. Milton checks every box for the Sixers.

This should lead to a full-time upgrade for Milton. For a brief moment, before injuries ripped a tornado through Brown’s game plan, the Sixers were tinkering with the starting five. Al Horford moved to the bench, while Furkan Korkmaz and Glenn Robinson were both given short stints as the replacement.

It’s time to give Milton the fifth spot.

There is one main argument against this — once Simmons returns, the Sixers will need Milton to handle backup point guard duties. However, the Sixers will also benefit from increased scoring versatility in the starting five, which Milton clearly provides. He will also take pressure off Simmons as a pick-and-roll ball handler.

The solution is to stagger minutes. Simmons and Milton can start and finish games in the backcourt. For the 10-12 minutes Simmons doesn’t play, Milton can fill the void. It’s similar to the Embiid-Horford staggering that went on earlier in the season. One on the floor at all times.

In fact, there is a compelling argument for Milton to embody the fifth starting spot in not only name, but in playing time. Horford continues to crumble under the pressure of Father Time, and his inability to produce in Embiid’s absence is a nail in the coffin. He still looks slow and out of tune, even when the offense and defense revolve more centrally around him.

Horford will continue to get big minutes on pedigree, and he still has his moments. But Milton probably contributes more to winning — at least in a Philadelphia rotation deprived of capable three-level scorers on the perimeter. Milton’s skill set adds much-needed diversity to the mix.

Milton and Simmons can stagger backcourt minutes, Horford can settle into his role as a sixth man, and Alec Burks can see a slight uptick in playing time as a capable ball handler in the second unit. This seems like a logical three-pronged plan once the starting five resettles in a few weeks.

It has occurred in an admittedly small sample size and under admittedly dyer circumstances, but Milton’s breakout feels real. Flukey, flash-in-the-pan guards don’t typically tie the NBA record for consecutive made threes and drops 39 on Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Patrick Beverley.

It’s time for Milkshake Milton to put the cherry on top of Brown’s rotation (I’m standing by this terrible joke).