Sixers’ shooting guard depth chart: Shake Milton — THIRD STRING
Shake Milton was also listed as the third string point guard in our point guard breakdown, but god only knows how that position will actually play out. For all we know, Milton is the opening day starter. Don’t put anything past Doc Rivers.
That said, if Milton is the third string point guard, he’s also the third string shooting guard. It feels like Milton is the 11th man in Rivers’ 10-man rotation right now, but that’s no guarantee. Even if Milton does crack the regular group, however, he should rank firmly behind Tyrese Maxey and Furkan Korkmaz.
Last season was a bumpy ride for Milton, who began the year as the local Sixth Man of the Year favorite and ended it on the lowest possible note. By the end, fans were actively begging Rivers not to play Milton. He was totally inept in the postseason — except for a notable fourth quarter in Game 2 versus Atlanta — and beyond the first few weeks, he wasn’t much better in the regular season.
Milton has some serious and potentially unfixable holes in his game. He relies almost entirely on making difficult shots. That said, if Milton starts to make those difficult shots more frequently, as he did a couple years ago when Brett Brown made him starter, then we could see his reputation improve. The Sixers need perimeter shot-makers. It’s just a question of whether or not Milton is good enough for the fit to matter.
The Sixers are about to take a major step back defensively as soon as Ben Simmons walks out the door. Milton is one of the worst defenders on the team, which won’t help his cause. Even with Rivers’ constant shows of faith in the 24-year-old last season, it’s just hard for me to envision Milton as more than a situational player.