Duke basketball: Projected starters for Coach K’s farewell season

Projected Duke basketball rotation

Freshman guard Trevor Keels. Fifth-year senior forward Theo John. Freshman guard Jaylen Blakes. Senior wing Joey Baker.

Yes, each of those four — and maybe even in the above order — is all but sure to see regular playing time next season. That is, they all should receive consistent minutes at least up until February or March, when Coach K, like clockwork, habitually cuts his primary bench options to two or three guys.

Fifth-year senior forward Bates Jones may carve out an on-court role as well.

Keels could serve as the do-anything sixth man, so to speak. John could serve as an enforcer to spell Mark Williams or Paolo Banchero at any given time. Blakes could serve as a reliable spark of overall energy, most notably via his anticipated high degree of defensive intensity. Baker could serve as a shooting specialist and seasoned leader.

And Jones might well surprise some folks as a solid backup at the four or five.

Beyond the projected starters here plus Keels, John, Blakes, Baker, and Jones, only two other players are on the Duke basketball roster in junior walk-ons Keenan Worthington and Michael Savarino. Barring a disaster when it comes to injuries or foul trouble, chances are neither Worthington nor Savarino will get any significant run.

OK, only 118 days of daydreaming remain until we find out the accuracy of all this.