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Veteran Guard Bolts NBA Days After Lakers Move

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Deveney | Last updated Jul 24, 2025 10:16 PM ET

For guard Shake Milton, the 28-year-old, seven-year NBA veteran who came to L.A. as a filler player in the D'Angelo Russell trade last December, perhaps the writing was on the wall. The Lakers let Milton go on Sunday, ending his tenure after just 30 games in which he averaged 3.9 points.

Now, rather than beating the bushes for another NBA contract, Milton is heading overseas in hopes of re-establishing some stability. After five solid seasons to start his career with the Sixers, Milton has bounced through five different organizations in the past two years, unable to find a home.

His new home will be in Serbia, where it was officially announced Milton signed a two-year deal with rebuilding powerhouse Partizan Belgrade, which won the Serbian League last year. Partizan is coached by Zeljko Obradovic, widely considered among the best coaches in the world and the best coach outside the NBA.

EXCLUSIVE: Shake Milton is a Partizan player!

Earlier today we reported this as an exclusive, and now it’s done. According to our exclusive sources, the guard has JUST signed a two-year deal with Partizan and will earn $1,200,000 next season. ⚫⚪

A huge addition for the… pic.twitter.com/3oY4tRiU3W
— TeleSport.rs (@TelesportRS) July 24, 2025

They regularly land NBA players, and in recent years featured the likes of former Lakers guard Sterling Brown and former Bulls guard Carlik Jones. Milton's deal will reportedly be worth $1.2 million next season.

The Lakers held onto Milton throughout the summer in hopes of finding a something-for-nothing trade that could have sent him elsewhere. Because Milton had a non-guaranteed deal, the Lakers could have traded him to a team that needed tax relief. But Milton's deal was worth only $3 million and no deal materialized.

The deadline on Milton's deal moving from nonguaranteed to guaranteed was July 20--last Sunday--and thus, the team was forced to simply waive him. But he will, at least, get a new start.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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