Duke basketball roster: Starting lineup options for 2020-2021 season

Worst-case scenario

• Point Guard: Jeremy Roach
• Shooting Guard: D.J. Steward
• Small Forward: Jalen Johnson
• Power Forward: Matthew Hurt
• Center: Patrick Tape

We’ve now reached the worst-case scenario for Duke, and that involves the departure of Cassius Stanley as well. Tre Jones and Vernon Carey were destined to go pro, but in this case, Stanley also decides now is the time to go pro after receiving positive feedback from scouts.

Stanley’s exit creates another hole in the starting lineup, but Coach K is able to fill it with yet another five-star recruit. This job will go to 6-3 shooting guard D.J. Steward, who joins fellow five-star freshmen Jalen Johnson and Jeremy Roach in the lineup.

If Steward isn’t ready to go full-throttle Coach K does have a more veteran option to plug into the lineup in Moore. This would require a bit of a bigger lineup for the Blue Devils, but Moore is an excellent defender who can provide some length at the two.

This offense would lose some significant scoring punch if Stanley goes pro, but there is also a good reason to believe the freshmen will contribute and that Hurt has a better sophomore year. Hurt struggled down the stretch and lost playing time in the Blue Devils’ rotation but another offseason in Durham should bolster his game.

Krzyzewski’s group wouldn’t have the favorite status the top two lineups provide, but this group still is much better than most of the teams in the country. Duke would obviously be a threat for the national championship, and with Coach K on the sidelines you can never count Duke out, assuming the team he assembles is healthy in March.

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