Philadelphia 76ers starting lineup: Locks, fringe, potential break-ins

Sixers starting lineup: Fringe

• Seth Curry, Shake Milton

All signs point to Seth Curry getting the fifth and final spot in Rivers’ starting five. That said, Rivers is clearly open to change and this is certainly the biggest point of contention after Milton’s breakout 2019-20 season.

Milton is a more traditional “point guard” in that he can create out of pick-and-rolls, look for his own shot, and is experienced running the show. Curry has ball-handling skills himself — and Rivers has said he will let Curry do more with the ball in hand — but Milton’s appeal is rooted in his upside as a real playmaker.

Whether Milton can successfully occupy the point guard role full-time is up for debate, but he’s a smart and poised passer who doesn’t get sped up. He shot 43.0 percent from deep last season, has already spent time with Embiid and Simmons in the starting five, and happened to drop 39 points on Rivers’ Clippers last season. There’s a feasible timeline in which Milton wins the job.

That said, Curry has the clear upper-hand and should keep it. He did impressive things on-ball for Dallas in the Bubble, and he’s a more potent (and more proven) shooter than even Milton. Curry hit 45.2 percent of his 3s last season, and is only trading one elite creator in Luka Doncic for another in Ben Simmons. His deep range and confidence are desperately needed.