Duke Basketball: Questions Fans Want Answered Before the 2016-17 Season

There are more questions for Duke going into the 2016-17 season than just whether this team will win a national championship.

While that is obviously the biggest issue on every fan's mind, there are smaller questions that need to be answered before the end destination can be achieved. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff have a lot of talent at their disposal, but they will need to figure out how to get the most out of these players.

Even though this program has obviously proven itself in the past, every year is different, especially when you bring in this many blue-chip recruits.

There is a lot of time before the start of the season, but here are some questions that eventually need to be answered in order for Duke to be successful.

Can All This Talent Coexist?

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This is the biggest question coming into the season, because while Duke has had talented teams in the past, there are rarely this many quality players on the roster at one time.

These players were all used to being stars on their high school teams and will now have to share minutes while spending a lot of time on the bench. They will also have to share shot attempts while not getting the production they are used to offensively.

This isn't all about selfishness either. All of the incoming freshmen, as well as returning players like Grayson Allen and Luke Kennard, are at their best with the ball in their hands and creating for themselves. Frank Jackson and Jayson Tatum, among others, will have to learn how to play a different role, potentially away from the ball.

Talent goes a long way in college basketball, but the top contenders are the ones who can play together with chemistry on both ends of the court, like Villanova did this past year. Duke's ability to turn individuals into a team will be the biggest storyline of the year.

Who Will Play Point Guard?

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Derryck Thornton was supposed to be the true point guard on last year's roster, entering college a year early to take over for Tyus Jones. Unfortunately, he was overwhelmed at times and is now no longer with the team.

So who will assume the role in 2016-17?

Allen became the de facto point guard last season, leading the way on most possessions. His 3.5 assists per game were the most on the team, although this is still not the type of production you want from the point guard of a high-powered offense. The rising junior is really too much of a shoot-first player to remain in this role going forward.

However, Jackson also has this problem as a guard who is better when looking for his own shot. He has the quickness to eventually turn into a true point guard, but it will take some time to transition and there might be some growing pains.

Matt Jones could get a crack at the job as well, although he hasn't proven himself as a playmaker either.

Both national finalists last season played the year with two point guards in the lineup. The Blue Devils going without a natural point guard might be a risky option.

Will Veterans Have to Take a Step Back?

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Krzyzewski has never been afraid to bench a veteran contributor in favor of a freshman with more upside. Rasheed Sulaimon saw a reduced role before eventually being kicked off the team two years ago. Greg Paulus famously moved to the bench his senior season after starting the previous three.

While nothing is guaranteed, there appears to be a good chance a pair of seniors will have to, at the very least, see their minutes decline in 2016-17.

Jones was a major part of last year's success, ranking third on the team with 31.8 minutes per game while contributing great defense and versatility on offense. Amile Jefferson only played nine games last year before succumbing to a foot injury, but he was averaging a double-double in his short time on the floor.

On most teams around the country, Jones and Jefferson would be impact players and senior leaders. On Duke next season, they might not even be starters.

There is no doubt both will have a role. They might not be big-time scorers, but they could be valuable in ways that might not show up on the box score. However, it might not be surprising to see both limited to around 20 minutes per game.

This type of unselfishness would be key in helping Duke achieve its goal.

Will Harry Giles Be 100 Percent?

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There is almost no ceiling for Harry Giles when he is at his best. Like Ben Simmons, Giles is a 6'10" forward with the skills of a guard, capable of breaking players down off the dribble. While he doesn't quite have Simmons' court vision, he brings another dimension with his shooting.

This versatility is a reason Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports called Giles his No. overall 1 pick in the way-too-early 2017 NBA mock draft.

The question is his health after missing his senior season with an ACL injury, the second of his young career. The good news is the coaching staff doesn't seem concerned about the forward's future.

"Basketball will come for him, but our main thing is to attack the rehab, and he has done that," assistant coach Jon Scheyer said of Giles, per Laura Keeley of the News & Observer. "He still has to be patient, because we want to make sure we’re going at the right pace with him. But he has done a great job attacking it."

Everything seems to indicate Giles will be ready to play in November, but will he be 100 percent? Is he going to start from day one and play 25 to 30 minutes per game or will the team bring him along slowly?

The answer could come down to whether the talented prospect is more concerned about his future than one year at Duke, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Is the Projected Lineup Too Big?

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Whether or not Giles starts, he will definitely see plenty of playing time. The same could be said about Jefferson and Marques Bolden. Javin DeLaurier and Chase Jeter will also be part of the rotation.

The personnel on the roster should lead to Duke running a traditional lineup with two true big men in the frontcourt and then some rotation of Allen, Jackson, Jones, Kennard and Tatum in the backcourt.

While this would be fine for most programs, this is not a typical lineup for Duke. Coach K usually prefers a small-ball approach with a prototypical wing player at the 4 position. Brandon Ingram, Justise Winslow, Jabari Parker and others all played this role, creating a mismatch defensively for opponents while spreading the floor for everyone to make a contribution.

The Blue Devils could push Tatum (6'8'') to power forward, but this would take away playing time from their talented young big men. Conversely, it might be a good thing keeping players like Jefferson (6'8'') and Bolden (6'10'') off the floor together to avoid getting too clogged down low.

Having too many good players isn't a bad problem to have, but the coaching staff might have a hard time keeping everyone happy while also playing the best lineup.

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