The 2018 NBA Draft is only nine days away and the Philadelphia 76ers are in a good spot with a multitude of draft picks. Currently, the Sixers have six selections in the draft (2 in the first round, 4 in the second round).
With that type of ammo, the Sixers have a lot of flexibility in addressing various needs that plagued them this season.
In the first round, they will most likely be looking to target impact players that can step in now if need be. However, in round 2, they could go after players who have tons of upside but do one thing really well to help the team.
One of those players who the Sixers might consider using a second-round pick on is former SMU point guard Shake Milton.
Milton was among five other draft prospects that worked out for the Sixers on Monday at their practice facility in Camden, New Jersey.
The first thing that stands out about Milton is that he is very tall for a point guard, standing at 6-foot-6.
In recent drafts, the Sixers have not been shy about drafting point guards over the 6-foot-5 threshold (e.g. Ben Simmons, Michael Carter-Williams). Unlike Ben Simmons, who was transformed into an NBA point guard, Carter-Williams came into the league as a pure point guard.
Even though he had size and the ability to get the rim at will, Carter-Williams’ Achilles heel was shooting. This was an issue for him in college and currently in the NBA.
Throughout his four-year NBA career, the former Rookie of the Year award winner is shooting 36.6 percent from the field and 23.4 percent from distance. At Syracuse, Carter-Williams had similar shooting percentages from the field (39.8) and from three-point range (30.7).
The good news, however, is that Milton does not have the same shooting woes like Carter-Williams.
Over a three-year span at SMU, he shot 45.2 percent from the field and 42.7 percent from three-point range. This past season, the junior guard took his game to another level and averaged 18.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 36.4 minutes per game.
When you take a moment to view his highlights, you can see why Milton is a pro prospect. He plays under control on offense and can comfortably knock down a mid-range jump shot.
Whether he is driving to the basket or bringing the ball up the court, Milton gets to his spots like Golden State Warriors point guard Shaun Livingston and makes his shots.
The former SMU product also does a great job of creating for his teammates. Milton picked up a considerable amount of assists on PnRs either with his teammates rolling to the basket or popping out for a jump shot.
His effectiveness in the pick and roll bodes well with what the Sixers do on offense. In the playoffs, we saw Simmons and Joel Embiid run the PnR and it led to easy points in the paint.
Defensively, Milton’s 6-foot-11 wingspan helps him close out on defenders and play the passing lanes. Last season, he averaged 1.4 steals a game and had a 100.4 DRtg (defensive rating).
Milton should be a solid defensive player in the NBA as he has the skills to guard multiple positions on the floor.
The former SMU guard would be a nice selection for the Sixers in the second round. The team has four picks, so why not shake things up and come away with another draft night gem.
