Philadelphia 76ers: Ranking every player on the 2020-21 roster

Ranking every Sixers player #7 — Shake Milton

Despite coming in at number seven on our list, Shake Milton will probably be the 76ers’ sixth man this year. Doc Rivers has stated that he knows of four players who will definitely be coming off the bench, and, as reports and preseason games have shown, Shake will be one of those players. We know his game well, and some would argue that Doc Rivers knows his potential better than anyone else. After torching Rivers’ Clippers for 39 points last season, the second-round pick had arrived on the NBA stage.

The 76ers had a slew of injuries last year, and Milton successfully stepped into the starting lineup for more than a quarter of the season. On a minimum deal, Shake has shown a great feel and knowledge of the game. Last season he stepped up in a big way — when not in the starting lineup, Shake proved to be a useful bench scorer. He improved his field goal percentage by nearly 10 percent and shot 11 percent better from deep — all of which came on more attempts than the previous season. His averages were up across the board. Most notably, he improved his assists by nearly two per game. While, of course, this comes back to an increase in minutes, Shake has proven he belongs in the Sixers lineup.

It is safe to expect more of the same improvement from Shake this season. With the arrival of shooters like Seth Curry and Danny Green, he could find more space to knock down shots on the offensive end. Doc Rivers loves Shake Milton, and he’s made that public throughout training camp. Shake will have the opportunity to show his growth on both ends.

It is also clear that Shake will be the Sixers’ most important bench player. After just one preseason game, we can see that Shake will lead the second unit, and his defensive prowess against Jaylen Brown suggests he could get a fair bit of time with the top unit. Perhaps the best signing the Sixers made this offseason was that of Dwight Howard, and no player is in line to benefit more from Howard than Milton. Shake has a certified running mate on the second unit. In the Boston game, it was apparent that Howard will be adept at creating shooting opportunities for Milton. The Ben and Joel pick-and-roll is a hot topic among fans, but the Milton and Howard two-man game will be critical to the Sixers not losing games with Ben and Joel on the bench.

However, his growth on the defensive side of the ball will show us the ceiling he has this year. He has made public his desire to improve defensively, and his weight gain will allow him to be bullied less on the defensive side. While his lateral quickness has never been superb, Milton will need to work on this aspect of his game to survive with the top unit.

On the positive side of things for Milton is the fact that he does not need to be a good NBA defender; he just needs to be serviceable. J.J. Redick and other players of the Sixers recent past have been putrid on the defensive end but had a solidified role in the lineup. This is not to say Milton is the same offensively as Redick, but he is a young player on a great contract who can positively contribute to the team on a nightly basis. Any positive defensive contributions are an added bonus for Philadelphia. If Milton can even be serviceable defensively, he will thrust the 76ers high into the Eastern Conference Playoff picture. Shake might not have looked great during the restart, but it was in an unusual situation where he was thrust into the starting lineup when Brett Brown made a final effort to save his job.

With that being said, however, we cannot take a lot away from Shake’s time in the bubble. More telling will be his preseason performance, which, so far, has been stellar. He drew a charge on Jaylen Brown in the third quarter and threw a beautiful alley-oop to Howard. While the starters lack some chemistry, it looks like Shake and Howard fit perfectly together.

The best-case scenario this season is that Shake Milton becomes the Sixth Man of the Year. While this is a fantasy and, probably, will not happen, the Sixers do not need it to happen. If Shake continues the steady improvement he has shown throughout his career, he will undoubtedly be a key contributor this season for Philadelphia. Doc trusts him, Dwight Howard trusts him, and the front office clearly believes in him.

At the same time, this is not a make-or-break season for Shake; this year could elevate him into the spotlight. Nobody would have expected Shake to be this good this early after being drafted 54th overall. But with his vast offensive skillset and never good enough mindset, Shake Milton is one of the Sixers’ top talents and a gem they found late in the draft. Do not expect Milton to be an All-Star but do expect him to fit comfortably and excel in the Sixers’ new system.

— MATT PLESCO

The difference between the Sixers being merely good or a serious contender may not lie with their stars, but with with their sixth man, Shake Milton.   Doc Rivers has publicly compared Shake to Lou WIlliams and Jamal Crawford, and while that may be setting the bar pretty high, it does tell everyone just how highly they think of Milton and what he means to this team.  When he is hot, Milton can score points in bunches.  Shake needs to feel comfortable and relaxed to excel, and working with Sam Cassell, who had a similar role on the Championship Houston Rockets of the ’90’s, is only going to help his development.

Milton is defensively weak, but capable of offensive explosions that can change the momentum of a game.  Hitting 2-3 three pointers in five minutes or scoring 15-20 points in a half can alter the outcome of a game, while allowing allowing the starters to rest and hitting the defense with a nasty change of pace.  Bringing him off the bench will allow this young player to grow his confidence without pressure and feel the rhythm of the game before entering.  He was at his best last year when he could just play freely and loose and Rivers has already said that he is going to give him complete freedom and a long leash.

It’s also crucial for a team loaded with high salary stars to find a few diamonds in the rough, a la Robert Covington.   All good Championship teams have players who, for one reason or another are underpaid, and inexpensive talent is hard to find.  If they are going to have three or more Max salaries on the payroll, the Sixers are going to need their cheaper players to produce.

This is the season that the SIxers find out exactly what they have in Shake Milton.  Were the flashes of Shake that we saw last year just fool’s gold, like a Philly version of “Linsanity”, or is Shake capable of being the microwave scorer off the bench that this team will need to be a threat in the East?  Rivers and the Sixers are already betting on Shake being the real deal.  If they are right, the SIxers will have a very exciting player for a long time.

— MATT CAHILL