Shake Milton played at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night for the first time this season. It was a homecoming event for the former second-rounder, as he spent the first phase of his NBA career as a guard for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Over the offseason, Milton hit the free agency market for the first time. He was coming off a season with the Sixers, where he averaged eight points across 76 games. When the summer began, it was assumed Milton and the Sixers would agree to part ways mutually.
On the first day of free agency, Milton found a new home as he signed a multi-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Before Milton checked into Wednesday’s game to face his former team for the second time this year, the Sixers paid tribute to their former guard with a nice video on the jumbo tron at the Wells Fargo Center, which then led to a nice applause from the crowd.
Milton’s run with the Sixers was a memorable one. When he entered the NBA as the 54th overall pick in 2018, Milton started out as a two-way player, splitting time between the main roster and the G League. Ahead of his sophomore effort, Milton earned a four-year standard contract.
In his second season, Milton appeared in 40 games with Philadelphia. As he flashed impressive scoring on efficient shooting, Milton even earned a spot in the Sixers’ starting five at one point. During the 2019-2020 run, Milton started in a career-high 24 games.
Over the next three seasons, Milton was primarily a reserve. His first season playing under Doc Rivers was his most productive, as he averaged 13 points and three assists per game across 63 contests. From then on, his averages dipped to eight points and two assists per game over the next two seasons.
Milton collected a fresh start in Minnesota. He’s averaged 15 minutes off the bench in his first 24 games of the season. During that time, the former Sixer has put up six points and two assists per game. While Milton is still finding his rhythm with the Timberwolves, Minnesota is confident they will unlock the veteran guard, who carved out a solid role for himself with the 76ers.
More must-reads: