There wasn’t anything memorable to take from Shake Milton’s first year in Los Angeles but he still could be a valuable asset for the team
Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we continue with a look at Shake Milton.
If there’s a true depiction of a salary filler, it’s Shake Milton when the Lakers acquired him in a trade along with Dorian Finney-Smith last December. The 6’5” veteran wasn’t expected to fill the void that starting point guard D’Angelo Russell left, but at the very least, the hope was for him to be a contributor off the bench.
Unfortunately, Milton didn’t consistently meet those expectations. He wasn’t trusted enough to be in the rotation come playoff time either except for garbage time minutes, which pretty much is an indication of his stature on the team.
Based on his performance this season, one can argue that the 28-year-old’s contract is more valuable than his production at this point, which is why he’s still an important asset that the purple and gold will need this offseason.
But even if he’s not traded, Shake will have the chance to bounce back given that he only just completed the first season of his three-year contract.
How did he play?
Before sporting the purple and gold armor, Milton averaged 7.4 points on 38.9% 3-point shooting in 18.2 minutes with the tanking Brooklyn Nets. He got his touches, minutes and wasn’t really part of a crowded guard rotation, unlike his time in Los Angeles.
Milton played exactly 30 games for the Lakers and averaged 3.9 points in 11.5 minutes, a far cry from his production on the Nets. He had some moments where he contributed to the team’s success, like when he put up 21 points on the road against the Washington Wizards. Or that time when he played a big role in helping beat the New Orleans Pelicans with his 12 points on 5-7 shooting in March. Every good Shake game felt like a bonus for the Lakers.
Otherwise, there was nothing memorable from the guard’s season. Milton didn’t really shoot the ball consistently when he got the opportunity and there were times when he’d look like a mess on the court, which is probably why JJ Redick had more trust in late pickup Jordan Goodwin over him. That ultimately cost Milton his minutes and chance to further prove his worth.
What is his contract situation moving forward?
Milton’s current contract, which is a three-year $9 million deal, isn’t guaranteed. The second year of his deal becomes fully guaranteed on July 20.
There are pros and cons that come with whatever the Lakers decide to do, then. If Rob Pelinka opts to guarantee Milton’s contract instead of waiving him, the Lakers can utilize him as an asset in trades for salary-matching purposes. That’s a factor worth noting since they can’t trade any free agents they sign this offseason until Dec.15.
On the flip side, if L.A. opts to release Milton, they will free up a roster spot, which means they can sign a player, likely to a veteran’s minimum, to take his spot. So ultimately, the guard’s future on the team truly depends on both the trade market and the pool of free agents available this season.
Should he be back?
For the sake of not losing an asset, the logical answer would be yes, Milton should be back. But then again, his future with the Lakers will depend on the direction that the team decides to go in.
Realistically speaking, his production on the court is easily replaceable, but he’s the type of player worth taking a chance on again if all options have been exhausted.
You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.