Is it too early to start a thread on roster predictions for next seasons roster?

[DukeGuru]

Feels like next season will be a rebuild year and I know this loss hurts but we may have to move on as fast as the players do. The current team had an historic regular season but in my opinion, no final four appearance = failure. Jon Scheyer has steadily improved each year and hopefully we trend back in the right direction as we continue to chase a 6th title.

My very early predictions:
Isaiah Evans = NBA
Pat Ngongba = NBA
Maliq Brown = NBA/Graduation
Cam Boozer = NBA
Dame Sarr= NBA
Darren Harris = Transfer
Jack Scott = Graduation
Cam Sheffield = Graduation
Ifeanyi Ufochukwu = Graduation
Caleb Foster = 98% return
Cayden Boozer = 95% return
Nikolas Khamenia = 95% return
Sebastian Wilkins (redshirted) = 95% return

Incoming recruits:
Bryson Howard (6’6 SF 3&D) 5*Freshman
Cam Williams (6’11 PF/C) 5*Freshman
Deron Rippey (6’1 PG) 5*Freshman
Maxime Meyer (7’1 C) 4*Freshman

Biggest needs:
Transfer PF/C rim protector/lob threat
Transfer SG/SF 6’6+ 3pt specialist
Transfer SG/SF 6’6+ 3&D

 

[The Only Blue]

Need a couple of bigs, at least one with a grown mans body that can rebound. I don't see Meyer playing much and Cam Williams going to get abused as rail thin as he is. We all saw the abuse Cam took tonight and Coop the year before.

 

[christophero]

Sounds about right. Would like Pat or Sarr back but doubtful. So we lose 4 starters.

 

[champagnecat]

Team takes a massive step back next year . No where near the high end level talent of the last two years

 

[christophero]

We don't know that. Sarr could return. We could get some portal pieces. Might be tough with the 5 stars coming in. Likely we take a step back but still unknown. Pat was mid first round but that was before all the injuries.

 

[The Only Blue]

I say a step back but not massive. It just won't be what we've been used to the last couple years

 

[DBM0828]

Foster Returns, Cayden Boozer returns. Wilkins returns. Nikolas Khamenia returns... You go ALL IN on Big Pat and Dame Sarr to get them 2 to return. You get the 4 freshman coming in. And you get 3 QUALITY pieces in the portal. A workhorse Center, an experienced wing, and a good tough PF... and we start the chase for 6 again...

Harris transfers. I doubt hes going to give it another go and ultimately sit the bench again.

Another young team in the making... This year was the year for 6. Definitely hurts.

 

[DBM0828]

& I hate to be insensitive but I hope everything comes sooner than later. I hate the Duke "off season". The waiting decision game... If its me you, got 10 days to decided on where you wanna be and what you gonna do. The waiting game hurts roster building.

 

[sheyduke]

I’m trying to figure out how Duke can get so many portal pieces with the incoming group and hopeful returning players .
Cameron, Evans, Pat, Sarr all gone to the league.
Foster returns
Brown graduates
Harris and Cayden transfer.
Duke lands another 7 footer Sayon Keita
Sarr with drawls from the draft and Duke lands another big oh and Nic returns .
in a perfect world Duke could have Cayden, Foster, Sarr, Nic and Big Pat return. Wilkins coming off the bench after his red shirt season and the four incoming freshman with another added but college basketball is just to hard to figure out any more .

 

[DukeGuru]

Foster Returns, Cayden Boozer returns. Wilkins returns. Nikolas Khamenia returns... You go ALL IN on Big Pat and Dame Sarr to get them 2 to return. You get the 4 freshman coming in. And you get 3 QUALITY pieces in the portal. A workhorse Center, an experienced wing, and a good tough PF... and we start the chase for 6 again...

Harris transfers. I doubt hes going to give it another go and ultimately sit the bench again.

Another young team in the making... This year was the year for 6. Definitely hurts.

Dame Sarr is gone, he has been a projected first round pick since his breakout game at Stanford. Pat gone too, he’s was projected late lottery/mid first round after the Arkansas game plus his foot issues is too much of a risk not to go after guaranteed NBA money.

Wilkins is a great culture guy but I am not sure how much he can contribute at this level, it was obvious he was miles behind everyone else before he redshirted. It would be nice if Darren Harris could make a open three, he may find success elsewhere.
I feel like the biggest thing will be maintaining our defensive identity, we cannot afford to lack in that department.

 

[DukeGuru]

I’m trying to figure out how Duke can get so many portal pieces with the incoming group and hopeful returning players .
Cameron, Evans, Pat, Sarr all gone to the league.
Foster returns
Brown graduates
Harris and Cayden transfer.
Duke lands another 7 footer Sayon Keita
Sarr with drawls from the draft and Duke lands another big oh and Nic returns .
in a perfect world Duke could have Cayden, Foster, Sarr, Nic and Big Pat return. Wilkins coming off the bench after his red shirt season and the four incoming freshman with another added but college basketball is just to hard to figure out any more .

I think it’s wishful thinking to expect Sarr and/or Pat to come back. Too much risk and to be honest, teams will scout Sarr a lot better next year after seeing how limited he is on offense (just force him to dribble or drive to the rim, he most likely will turnover the ball or make a boneheaded play)

 

[Bleediteveryday83]

It's going to be a rebuilding year. And we'd better brace ourselves for a big drop off from the last few seasons.

 

[DukeGuru]

It's going to be a rebuilding year. And we'd better brace ourselves for a big drop off from the last few seasons.

I agree and it sucks because this was year to atleast make a title game appearance. Feels like next year our ceiling is round of 32, sweet 16 based on how young we will be.

 

[DukeGuru]

I forgot to mention that we lost Asst coach Evan Brads as he took the job with Belmont. He was a big reason our offense got better throughout the season. Defensive coach Dildy may be gone too, he was slated to take the Charlotte job before it fell through.

 

[Bleediteveryday83]

I agree and it sucks because this was year to atleast make a title game appearance. Feels like next year our ceiling is round of 32, sweet 16 based on how young we will be.

It all depends on roster retention and the portal. Big few weeks upcoming.

 

[Ghost of Dattier]

Cam and Malik are the only 2 who are 100% gone, imo. There's little difference between 100% gone and 90% gone, of course, and within a month, month and a half, just about everyone will be 100% back or 100% gone with little in between.

I want everyone to return. Retention is strategically important, good optics, and I'm a bit sentimental like that, too.

I feel pretty confident Caleb will come back for his senior year, and he is the 1st or 2nd most important guy to keep for next year. Rippey is great, but he'll be a 6'1" freshman. Experience at the point is really valuable. I expect Caleb to take another leap forward as a senior.

For next year's roster makeup, Pat is the other guy who would be most important to retain. I think NIL and some obvious room for growth make it more feasible than it was for, say, Marques Bolden in 2019, despite Pat's draft potential already looking better. Otherwise our fortunes hinge on a portal big, which we should go for anyway. I'm not crazy about the idea of Cam Williams playing a lot at the 5 and I don't think Maxime Meyer will be ready to contribute much as a freshman.

I feel good about Nik returning. He'll step into a bigger role easily.

While Slim and Dame have higher ceilings than Pat and I'd love to have either/both of them back, I think it's less likely, and I also think between Nik's growth, Bryson Howard, and Sebastian Wilkins, we more easily fill their skillsets.

I really hope Cayden returns. We gotta show him some love in every way we can. He feels terrible right now and it would be just awful if he decided to make a clean start elsewhere.

Darren has more reason to be hopeful about his role growing next year than he did coming into this year. It's also easy to project that Sebastian and Bryson will slot in ahead of him. His maturity and experience will be really valuable and I hope he stays.

 

[ZeroZeroSeven]

Just basing this on gut feels but could also be my morning coffee…

Big Baby Boozer - gone (duh)

Slim - gone

Rippey, Foster and Little Baby Boozer is a championship backcourt. Of those 3, I see Boozer as most likely to leave. Hope he doesn’t and my gut says he’s back.

Dame - gone.

Khamenia back. Need him and Bryce Howard sniping 3s from the wing.

Harris - gone. Probably decides for a fresh start elsewhere. Could use his 3 point shooting but once the confidence is gone sometimes the only fix is a change in environment.

Need an interior piece next to Cam Williams. Hope it’s Big Pat, but my gut says he’s gone.

 

[Mac9192]

Evans made a big leap from his freshman season to now, so I don't expect him back at all. Dame and Pat both need to come back. Neither are ready. Sarr needs to try to duplicate the jump Evans made by returning. He's athletic but extremely raw. I will be really surprised if Khamenia isn't in a Duke jersey next season. I hope Caleb and Cayden return too.

I'm not sure who we have coming in, but know we must have some very solid pieces returning.

 

[pisgah101]

Alright doom and gloom crowd. There is NO reason for Duke to have a drop off from any season in the NIL transfer portal era. None- we have the name and the $ and Jon for any weakness you may wanna say he has- putting together a roster isn’t one of them. We’ll retain someone unexpected (Pat and or Sarr) Cayden won’t transfer- such an odd idea that he would. With him foster and rippley we are already at a championship backcourt. Find a way to keep Pat or bring in a stud C in the portal and we’re preseason top 5 with ease

 

[Bleediteveryday83]

Alright doom and gloom crowd. There is NO reason for Duke to have a drop off from any season in the NIL transfer portal era. None- we have the name and the $ and Jon for any weakness you may wanna say he has- putting together a roster isn’t one of them. We’ll retain someone unexpected (Pat and or Sarr) Cayden won’t transfer- such an odd idea that he would. With him foster and rippley we are already at a championship backcourt. Find a way to keep Pat or bring in a stud C in the portal and we’re preseason top 5 with ease

We will need to keep Cayden, Caleb, Nik, and Big Pat for sure. Sarr is gone. Pat probably too.

 

[The Only Blue]

If Pat stays, how reliable is he? He's been injury prone with what started on high school then this year with his hands then his feet. As I said in the game day thread, i wonder if he actually had a sore foot or a fracture

 

[pisgah101]

We will need to keep Cayden, Caleb, Nik, and Big Pat for sure. Sarr is gone. Pat probably too.

i think we have hope for one of them. We’ll see. I don’t see Sarr ready with his offense

 

[pisgah101]

If Pat stays, how reliable is he? He's been injury prone with what started on high school then this year with his hands then his feet. As I said in the game day thread, i wonder if he actually had a sore foot or a fracture

We need to hit the portal for a big- a healthy Pat is probably the most dominate 5 in the country. An injured Pat don’t help much ha

 

[The Only Blue]

As one said earlier, who do we bring in for Evan Bradds? In family or out?

 

[pisgah101]

As one said earlier, who do we bring in for Evan Bradds? In family or out?

Offer JJ the spot. Makes absolutely zero sense for him to come from where he is but get some absolute dog fire mentality on the bench

 

[Bleediteveryday83]

Battier

 

[pisgah101]

Battier

Please! This would be such a good culture guy to bring in

 

[Bleediteveryday83]

I think he would be a perfect fit. Shane is the embodiment of Duke Basketball.


Also, Kevin Connelly is licking his chops today. Duke fan and Jon hater. That guy is what is wrong with some of our fanbase. What a tool. Just watched him on Locked on Blue Devils, and JJ should be ashamed to bring that asshat on there all the time. He's not been a Jon fan from the start.

 

[denverexpat]

I never get the NBA projections for players that were marginally above average in college, inconsistent and not physically ready to compete against stronger/older NBA players. Sarr would be G league at best...Evans is rail thin too and needs to improve his consistency, Ngongba...hardly NBA ready from what he did this year....maybe its because I dont watch much NBA but none of these 3 should be drafted imo. I'm sure they will be getting whispers from agents etc but they would be better served coming back for a redemption year and a National Championship!

 

[Bleediteveryday83]

No chance Evans comes back. Best to give up on that now.

 

[sheyduke]

If I had to say out of Pay and Sarr who returns I’d say Sarr.