Duke basketball: 5 players to target in the transfer portal

Duke basketball is set to undergo big changes.

A lot of change is on the horizon for the Duke basketball program in the coming months. Mike Krzyzewski has officially retired, Jon Scheyer has now assumed the role of head coach, and the Blue Devils could lose up to eight players from the 2021-22 roster.

While Duke may be losing a plethora of guys to the upcoming NBA Draft, the program currently possesses the top-ranked 2022 recruiting class, with six incoming freshmen set to land in Durham this summer.

With Friday’s announcement that senior captain Joey Baker will return using his extra year of eligibility, plus the presumed return of sophomore point guard Jeremy Roach, Duke basketball has formed a solid core for the 2022-23 season.

But that core can still improve.

There is still the chance — admittedly small — that either Trevor Keels or Wendell Moore will return to Durham for another season. The likelier option to improve lies in the transfer portal.

Now that hundreds of players have entered the portal in the weeks following the season, Scheyer has a prime opportunity to fill some potential holes on the roster next season.

Duke fans have already seen the impact of transfers this past year with Theo John and Bates Jones, and Scheyer’s seemingly masterful recruiting skills can almost ensure that he will land at least a transfer or two for next year.

A lot is contingent upon who stays and goes from this year’s team, but Scheyer has already reached out to multiple players to gauge their interest in joining the Blue Devils next season.

Let’s look at five transfers Duke basketball should target to join the team next season.