The Sixers are expected to exercise their team option on Shake Milton for 2022-23, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. If and when it’s officially picked up, the option will lock in Milton’s $1,997,718 salary for next season.
The 54th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Milton has spent his first four NBA seasons in Philadelphia and has been a regular contributor for the last three years. After averaging 13.0 points and 3.1 assists on .450/.350/.830 shooting in 63 games (23.2 MPG) in 2020-21, Milton took a step backward this past season, as his numbers dipped to 8.2 points and 2.5 assists on .429/.323/.836 shooting.
Still, based on his NBA resume to date, Milton is a relative bargain on what is essentially a minimum-salary contract. So it came as a bit of a surprise when Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote earlier Wednesday of a belief around the league that the 76ers would decline his 2022-23 option. Scotto’s report suggests that belief is misguided.
Pompey’s story was especially perplexing because declining Milton’s option would make him ineligible to be traded outside of a sign-and-trade structure, and Pompey’s sources indicated the team has been gauging the 25-year-old’s value on the trade market. Milton would be trade-eligible once his option is officially exercised.
Team option decisions for 2022-23 are due by June 29. Our tracker can be found right here.
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