Duke Basketball: Biggest Changes Blue Devils Will Undergo Next Season

Even at 69 years old, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has to undergo changes just about every year when it comes to his teams.

The philosophy and system won't change much regardless of the personnel. The Blue Devils are still going to try to spread the floor offensively while primarily utilizing an aggressive man-to-man scheme on the defensive end.

On the other hand, a reloaded roster leads to some new advantages as well as some new challenges the staff will have to account for over the course of the season.

Here is a look at some of the bigger changes Duke will see heading into the 2016-17 campaign.

Added Depth

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Nothing held Duke back more last season than its lack of depth. Once Amile Jefferson went down, the coaching staff barely played more than six players per game, sometimes seven when Chase Jeter got on the court.

This not only led to fatigue as the year went on, but foul trouble was one of the main storylines each game. It seemed like most of Marshall Plumlee's season was trying to avoid a third foul in the first half or his fifth foul near the end of the game.

However, that won't be an issue in 2016-17 with a long list of players who will be able to contribute at a high level.

With four of the top five scorers from this past season coming back and five elite recruits joining the roster, this could be one of the deeper teams Duke has seen in years. There will be extra bodies to use in case of injury or foul trouble, and there won't even be much drop-off in the second unit.

It will take a lot of the pressure off the coaching staff to know that any of the choices it makes can work out.

Need to Balance Playing Time

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As good as it is to have plenty of options, one of the biggest challenges this coaching staff will face is trying to keep everyone happy.

When 5-star recruits go to college these days, they expect to either start or get enough minutes to showcase their talent. Not all of them will be one-and-done, but they usually at least believe they are good enough to play in the NBA and don't want to spend their time on the bench.

Meanwhile, returning starters Matt Jones, Amile Jefferson and Luke Kennard probably won't want to see their minutes decline, even if it's for the good of the team.

Although Duke fans don't love Kentucky coach John Calipari, he at least does a good job of getting his top prospects enough minutes to showcase what they can do. Coach K has done a great job of juggling lineups in the past, but he rarely has had so many high-profile players at one time.

If there isn't enough playing time to go around, it could hinder the development of those bench players and possibly lead to transfers at the end of the season.

More Traditional Lineup

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Another side effect of the roster additions is the ability to field more of a traditional lineup than we have seen from Duke over the past few seasons.

The Blue Devils haven't produced many true big men in recent years but make up for it with versatile wings capable of playing in the frontcourt. Brandon Ingram, Rodney Hood and Justise Winslow all were better suited to play the 3 but ended up spending time at the 4 throughout their time in Durham, North Carolina.

While this often led to mismatches on offense, it also led to mismatches on defense and easy looks in the paint for the other team.

However, a healthy Harry Giles is exactly the type of power forward Krzyzewski would love on his team. At 6'10", he has the size to play inside but also has the handle and shooting ability to move to the perimeter if necessary. The presence of Marques Bolden and Jefferson also means Giles won't have to spend too much time at center.

The frontcourt play also means Jayson Tatum can stay at his natural 3 spot while Grayson Allen remains at the 2.

There are still question marks about who will start at point guard and how the backcourt will line up as a whole, but filling a more traditional lineup than usual will make for a tougher matchup on both ends of the court.

Improved Post Defense

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Fans loved Marshall Plumlee's work rate, but there is no question post defense was a major weakness for the Blue Devils.

According to KenPom.com, 59.2 percent of opponents' points came from two-point field goals, the second-highest rate in college basketball. Opposing big men were able to take extra shots in the paint while guards had to be more cautious to avoid giving up an easy layup on a blow-by.

Jefferson isn't a great rim protector but still can be a threat, while Giles and Bolden are both legitimate shot-blockers in the post. If they aren't racking up blocks, they are at least altering looks and changing the entire defense.

What this also does is lead to a different strategy on the perimeter. Guards are able to be more aggressive locking down shooters and looking for steals because they know they can trust the man behind them if they make a mistake.

The Blue Devils weren't able to run the defense they wanted last season and ended up ranked 107th in the country in efficiency, according to KenPom.com. With improved personnel in the post, things should be different in 2016-17.

Increased Expectations

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Expectations are always high at Duke. In most seasons, anything less than a national championship is considered a bust.

However, last year's "drop off" wasn't much of a surprise. While the Blue Devils were ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll, few of the players had done anything at the college level entering the year. The majority of the 2015 national title team had either graduated or moved on to the NBA, leaving bench players like Allen and Jones to take on bigger roles, while the incoming recruits needed to make an impact immediately.

Some of this went to plan, but too many of the freshmen were slow to develop and Duke couldn't get past the Sweet 16. All things considered, this was a strong showing for what was at times an overmatched squad.

Next year, however, the Blue Devils have all the tools to succeed. Sure, there are still a lot of freshmen, but this class has the talent and polish to make an impact right away. Pair these players with the already solid returning group, and this should be the No. 1 team when the first polls are released.

Of course, this leads to greater expectations and the pressure to succeed. Any loss will be a big deal, and failing to win a national championship would be a disappointment. Whether these young players can handle this pressure will be a major storyline during the season.

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