1 76ers player the Toronto Raptors could steal in offseason

The Toronto Raptors are currently locking horns with the Philadelphia 76ers in their playoff matchup, but that doesn’t Masai Ujiri isn’t cooking up an offseason strategy to plug up some of the holes on this roster. One of the common themes throughout this whole year is the lack of shooting.

The Raptors are so reliant on starters like Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. to provide outside scoring that any one of them having a bad night could be cause for alarm. With Malachi Flynn and Svi Mykhailiuk struggling to provide much support off of the bench, adding someone in free agency might be the best move for this team.

Adding a player that could potentially boost Toronto’s own chances of survival while negatively impacting a rival is more fantastic news. With James Harden’s humungous contract set to eight on Philly’s finances, a key component of their bench could bite the dust.

While the 76ers have most of their key components locked in for next year, reserve guard Shake Milton has a team option that could be declined if Harden opting in puts the team in a financial bind. Given Milton’s skills and what the Raptors need right now, he seems like a perfect fit as a high-usage bench wing and occasional point guard.

Toronto Raptors free agency: Shake Milton could be a solid addition.

Milton has averaged 10.7 points and 2.8 assists per game over the last two seasons. While his scoring has decreased this season, this can be attributed to fewer shots coming his way thanks to the emergence of Tyrese Maxey and James Harden. His 44/34/83 efficiency percentages.

Even though his 6-5 frame is perfectly suited for a traditional shooting guard role, Milton has played just under half of his minutes at point guard. Malachi Flynn and Armoni Brooks have not done the best job in the world when it comes to securing rotation time, and Milton’s ability to eat up minutes at both spots will appeal to Ujiri.

Milton’s defensive turnaround has been one of the highlights of the season for Philadelphia’s player development system. In a system that requires exceptional defense on the wing, Toronto should feel comfortable about adding Milton with so much money coming off of the books.

With Toronto positioned to bring back the same starting lineup as they had last year, Milton could be the top bench gunner that comes in when either Fred VanVleet or Gary Trent Jr. need a break. A two-year deal in the eight-figure range should be enough to rope him in.