Sixers: Ranking every player on the roster after James Harden trade

Ranking every Sixers player — 9. Shake Milton

Injuries have really cut into Shake Milton’s season, but when healthy, he has produced admirably in the backup point guard role. After the struggles of 2020-21, it’s nice to see Milton regain form a little bit. His numbers aren’t great — in fact, on the surface, they’re worse than last season — but Milton has played with a much improved sense of control and pace, committing fewer turnovers per game and really settling in as a table-setter offensively.

Milton’s minutes could fade now that James Harden is on the team, but he shouldn’t be out of the picture entirely. He’s a good enough shooter to play off-ball, and the Sixers have never managed to put too much playmaking on the floor. Milton is at his best when he shares the floor with another ball-handler, and at 6-foot-5, his best defensive position is on the wing — not checking point guards.

There are still plenty of holes in Milton’s game. He’s not the most natural facilitator even now, and he’s somewhat one-noted as a scorer. He relies on difficult pull-up jumpers and doesn’t have the explosiveness to finish at a high level in traffic, but when he’s hot, Milton can elevate the offense almost single-handedly for a period of time.

The Sixers have never been better-positioned to get the most out of Milton on paper. The likes of Harden and Tyrese Maxey should help ease Milton’s burden, not make his life harder. If he buys into a complementary role and works to improve his all-around game, Milton should continue to flourish in the second unit.