Duke Basketball: Each Projected Starter's Most Concerning Flaw

Even with arguably the most talented roster in college basketball next season, Duke has a young squad that is far from perfect.

The Blue Devils added four 5-star prospects as part of the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, per 247Sports. They have a handful of veterans who have already proved themselves at the college level and enough depth to overcome just about anything.

Still, if you don't think there are flaws you are kidding yourself.

While we don't know exactly what the starting lineup will look like until November, here is an early projection along with a breakdown of one major concern for each player.

Grayson Allen: Dealing with Length/Athleticism

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Grayson Allen was the most improved player in college basketball last season, going from a little-used bench player who averaged 4.4 points per game to a full-blown star who averaged 21.4 ppg.

As good as he was, however, he still struggled in a few games. While everyone is due for a bad game or two over the course of the year, the concerning part is that the struggles all came against teams with long, athletic defenders.

Allen scored six points on 2-of-11 shooting against Kentucky and seven points on 3-of-18 against Utah in the nonconference season. He also shot just 4-of-11 against Virginia, 18-of-46 in two games against North Carolina and 4-of-13 in the final loss to Oregon.

All of these teams have the type of length and athleticism that can create difficult looks at the basket. This is also the type of competition Allen would likely have to face if he were to go to the NBA.

The junior guard needs to find a way to be as efficient as usual even against the toughest defenders.

Matt Jones: Creating Offense

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Matt Jones might move to the bench while a younger talent like Frank Jackson moves into the starting five, but the rising senior's defensive ability and knack for hitting big shots will be extremely valuable in a lineup like this one.

On the other hand, if Jones is in the lineup he will have to improve as a scorer and a passer.

Duke doesn't have a true point guard on the roster, with Allen likely being the best option after averaging 3.5 assists per game last year. He will need some help as a facilitator, which could come from Jones. The 6'5" guard did average 2.3 assists and just 1.1 turnovers per game last year, although his assist rate of 12.5 percent needs to almost double to be effective.

Meanwhile, Jones could stand to create more shots for himself after relying mostly on kick-out jumpers in his career to this point.

The senior will have value on this roster regardless, but he has a lot of room for improvement.

Jayston Tatum: Playing Without the Ball

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Jayson Tatum has always been the best player on his team. The coach called plays for him to get open. In the standard offense, the wing usually had the ball in his hands and was asked to make something happen.

While he wasn't a point guard, there was never a question of Tatum getting the ball when he wanted at Chaminade Prep.

All of a sudden he will come to Duke on a team that features plenty of other great scorers. The players aren't selfish, but they also aren't great facilitators, meaning most of the time will be spent creating options for themselves.

With Allen likely to handle the ball often, Tatum will have to learn how to play without the ball. This is an entirely different skill set that features getting open, moving around screens and possibly setting some himself.

The incoming freshman can learn these skills, but his lack of experience leaves some doubt.

Harry Giles: Durability

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You never want to blame someone for injuries, but it is definitely a concern when it comes to Harry Giles.

When healthy, Giles is one of the best big-man prospects in years. He is more versatile than Jahlil Okafor, possessing the ability to create offense from the perimeter and even knock down some shots from the outside. He is also an above-average defender who can change games with his shot-blocking ability.

The problem is he is coming off a torn ACL, which was the second major knee injury of his career. Even with plenty of time to work his way back, he remains a risk every time he steps onto the court.

Considering his potential in the NBA, it wouldn't be surprising to see Duke bring him along slowly to make sure he avoids another injury. Limited minutes over the next season would be disappointing for fans but the best for the player's future.

In any case, those knees remain a concern going forward.

Marques Bolden: Defensive Consistency

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Marques Bolden has almost as much upside as anyone on the roster. With his size (6'11", 250 pounds), enormous length, athleticism and raw skill, he could be an elite center not only in college but also in the NBA.

The young player has shown plenty of ability on the offensive end, including both finishing inside as well as scoring with his back to the basket.

However, what Duke will need next year is for him to dominate on the defensive end. We know he has the skill set, but it will take more consistency than what we have seen.

Jonathan Givony of Draft Express provided this breakdown after the Nike Hoops Summit:

"

He is a little bit lazy getting back at times, running the court lackasidically [sic], and doesn't always play on the balls of his feet in the half-court. Better effort will help, as will experience and coaching learning the many principles big men need to know. He's not as much of a rim protector as you might hope at times considering his length and reach, and is just an average defensive rebounder as well.

"

For the Blue Devils to be at their best, Bolden will have to be a star on that end of the court.

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