Should the Sixers bring back Shake Milton?
Shake Milton‘s salary for next season is non-guaranteed for $1.99 million. Say what you want about Milton’s inconsistency, but he was the Sixers’ best perimeter reserve in the playoffs, he was once upon a time considered Sixth Man of the Year material, and that number is absurdly low. The Sixers need to find cheap contributors on the margins. Milton is a cheap contributor on the margins.
After 2020-21’s season from hell, Milton rebounded in impressive fashion. He was imperfect as ever, but his 3-point shooting stabilized, his defense and decision-making improved, and he finally found a comfortable niche playing behind Harden and Maxey in the Sixers’ backcourt.
The Sixers need players who can hit open 3s and subsequently attack closeouts. Milton can beat a rotating defense with his driving ability and he’s one of the few Sixers reserves who can make something out of nothing. You need players to hit tough shots when the offense stalls, and Milton can oblige. He could stand to be more aggressive, but by that same token, Milton buying into his role as more of a wing than a point guard is a positive indicator for his future with the team.
Of all the perimeter players in Philly’s bench rotation, Milton has the fewest glaring holes right now. He has turned himself into a rock-solid rotation piece, and while he’s probably better cast as the ninth man than the sixth man, the Sixers should have no qualms about bringing him back on such a small contract.
Final vote: YEA