Shake Milton signing four-year deal with Sixers, taking on bigger role

The 76ers are signing guard Shake Milton to a four-year deal, a team source confirmed Tuesday.

Milton was entering the second year of a two-way contract after being selected 54th by the Dallas Mavericks in 2018. The Sixers acquired him via trade on draft night.

In his brief time with the Sixers and the Delaware Blue Coats, Milton has evolved into one of the young leaders on the 76ers’ summer league team, making such an impact that the Sixers decided to convert his two-way contract into a one-way NBA deal.

“He’s been around, understands our program, understands our system, looks confident out there and it’s good to see him embracing that role as a leader,” Blue Coats and summer league coach Connor Johnson said.

Taking on more responsibility, working on expanding his game, and becoming more of a leader are all things that Milton sees as the next step to becoming a regular NBA contributor. It hasn’t been an easy road for Milton, and he’s taking nothing for granted.

“I haven’t seen a player so excited to play summer league,” Sixers general manager Elton Brand said last week.

The reason for Milton’s excitement is that there were times when he didn’t know if he would be back in this position, or if he would be the same type of player ever again.

Milton suffered a stress fracture in his back during pre-draft workouts in 2018 and was not able to play summer league ball. Despite not being able to showcase his skills in Las Vegas, the Sixers decided to take a chance on the 54th overall pick.

“It [stunk] having to sit there and watch everybody out there practicing and having fun,” he said Tuesday after the Sixers’ summer league practice. “I feel like everything happened for a reason. I got hurt for a reason, I went 54th for a reason, I came here for a reason.”

After months of rehabbing and continued work, Milton made his NBA debut on Nov. 30. He went on to play in 20 games for the Sixers with increasing praise and trust from the coaching staff.

Now, his teammates are beginning to take notice, seeing the benefit of everything he’s learned and earned. The Sixers’ newest rookie, Matisse Thybulle, said that Milton is one of the players he tries to stay close to during practice, since he can pinpoint when a player messes up or does something right.

Norvel Pelle, who’s on a two-way contract with the Sixers and played with Milton in Delaware, said having him around during summer league practice has made things easier for him. He’s also noticed Milton taking on a bigger role.

“Shake has grown tremendously,” Pelle said. “We have a nickname for him, ‘Money Train.’ Every time he gets on the floor he’s going to work and we know that he’s going to produce, regardless.”

Milton acknowledged that he’s made a concerted effort to be more vocal and more of a leader. He felt as if he would leave a greater imprint on the team and better his chances at landing an NBA deal as he took on more responsibility.

A year ago, an NBA roster spot seemed far-fetched, but Milton’s efforts were rewarded on Tuesday.

“Being able to play basketball, definitely don’t take it for granted at all,” he said.

With the Sixers in need of ballhandlers and cheap ways to fill out their roster, Milton could prove to be an answer. In an effort to help Milton prove his versatility, Johnson has been working with him in both the point guard and shooting guard positions.

Milton could very well pick up minutes filling in as a reserve point guard, and now that he’s on a full contract rather than a two-way, the opportunities for more minutes will come more frequently.