ORLANDO, Fla. — The moment the Nets trade away Dennis Schroder, point guard is going to be an issue.
Or at least a potential one.
Shake Milton is trying to prove he can be part of the solution.
Schroder was not only Brooklyn's emotional leader and ball-pressing pest, but he was also a floor general.
Ben Simmons took over the latter role, but injuries and absences are just a foregone conclusion after missing all or most of the past three seasons with a sore back.
He has yet to play on either end of a back-to-back and missed Friday's loss to San Antonio.
Keon Johnson is an off-guard whose duties include perimeter defender.
Newly acquired dual-wielding player Reese Beekman gets little more than a mop-up cameo.
And leading scorer Cam Thomas, who dominates the ball, is still injured.
However, with Simmons out, Milton made his first start for the Nets, posting 16 points, a season-high 12 assists, and just one turnover in 34 minutes against San Antonio.
It was a performance that suggests Milton should be the one coach Jordi Fernandez trusts with the ball every time Simmons comes off the floor — starting Sunday against the Magic.
“He was great,” Fernandez said of Milton. “And if you look at his line, five of nine games, 16 points, 12 assists, so, you know, pretty good.
“Most importantly, he had 12 assists with one turnover. So I was really, really impressed because he plays a little bit out of position. Letting him play makes him more comfortable and then I can run the action for him. I get him to pick up the ball, get the ball up and then score and organize everyone. And he's doing a great job.”
This is Milton's fourth career double-double and first since April 2023 against Philadelphia.
More importantly, Milton recorded the second-most assists in Net history in his first start for the team after his second 20-point performance of the season in Milwaukee on Thursday night.
Who is the only player to surpass his 12? James Harden wearing No. 14 against the Magic on January 16, 2021.
“I felt good. It's not an easy job. Sometimes you do what the team asks you to do, like pick up 94. [feet] Then we worked with the rocks and tried to get the players to the right spots,” Milton said. “But everyone's not selfish. Everyone plays a role. So just try to step up and help the team as much as you can.”
Navigation is nothing new for Milton, but playing at the point for extended periods of time isn't something he's done much of recently.
According to Cleaning the Glass, Milton didn't play any point plays for the Knicks last season and played just 6 percent of his minutes with Detroit.
But he has the ball on 53 percent of Brooklyn's possessions. And his recent play suggests he could be the backup Brooklyn needs when Simmons sits or is out completely.
“I think that’s the name of the game,” Milton said. “I feel comfortable playing on-ball and off-the-ball. I think I've been doing that since I got into the league, so it's not something special or an adjustment for me. And a lot of times I don't even have to think about it. Because if you're being aggressive, the game will tell you what you need to do on the floor, whether it's taking a shot or taking a kick.
“And a lot of times, I didn't even feel like my assists were my assists, like I inevitably created a lot just by getting off the ball when I needed to get off the ball, and I didn't even feel like my assists were my assists, and I didn't feel like I was helping the team. My mate did a good job of knocking down shots, so that makes my job easier.”
Since Schroder left, Brooklyn's net rating is minus-1.0 when Simmons is on the floor, but that crater looks like minus-16.7 whenever he sits.
He has to rest from time to time, and frankly it's a foregone conclusion that Simmons will miss games.
They have struggled to find play for their backup point guard, but Milton is settling into the role.
