Duke Basketball: What would you do in a Blue Devil switcharoo?

RJ Barrett and Matthew Hurt

Most of the answers to Mike’s query involved the 2018-2019 Duke basketball team and for good reason. The Devils had the three best small/combo forwards in the country hit Durham all at once in a generational draft class. Most of the answers also had Cam Reddish as the odd man out for Duke basketball and it’s hard to blame them.

He seemed like he never really got comfortable in his role as third option and could press too hard when he had the ball in his hands. Zion Williamson and RJ had such an easy chemistry while putting up Duke basketball records as freshmen, that moving Cam looks like the natural fit.

I’d argue that Zion and RJ were basically the same player in that they could do a lot of the same things. Both are lefty slashers who see their best results the closer to the rim they are. While Zion didn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective, RJ liked to control the action.

The result was opposing teams sagging off the Devils and daring them to shoot. They did, but not very well. Duke was one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the country that season. Barrett only shot 31% on over six attempts a game.

Imagine Matthew Hurt’s 39% on 3.5 attempts this year getting those shots. He could have averaged ten a game maybe and the quality of his looks would have been a lot better.  Defenders didn’t sag off Hurt went he went out on the 3-point arc with only Vernon Carey‘s presence inside. When Carey was off the floor; Hurt saw no space, tough shots and usually a seat on the bench.

Even without RJ’s drives, they still had Zion, Tre Jones and Cam to attack the basket and kick it out to Hurt, who has a varied offensive-skill set beyond just catch-and-shoot 3s. These three with either Marques Bolden and Javin DeLaurier would also have been able to hide the defensive liabilities of Hurt much better.

I feel the absence of RJ would have allowed Reddish to be more the point forward he was in high school and let him relax without having to look for his when he did get the ball. This resulted in his 36% shooting from the field and pressing into bad shots, turnovers and fouls.

Cam averaged more turnovers than assists and the second most fouls per game even though he saw only the fourth highest minutes. With Hurt either on the block or hanging on the perimeter as a stand-still guy, Cam could have initiated offense more naturally and filled in as the secondary playmaker, a role he was accustomed to and suited for.

Now imagine, take no prisoners, alpha-dog Barrett on this year’s Duke basketball team. While Cassius Stanley was a good surprise and wowed us with his athleticism, he was inconsistent at times and not as aggressive as we might have liked. The small forward spot would have been crowded, but it was the year before as well and the pieces seem to fit better in this scenario.

RJ could have attacked at will and dished to Carey or kick it out to the better variety of shooters than he had in his memorable time at Duke. The Blue Devils didn’t have an RJ-like player on this year’s team and though Tre was an exceptional leader and could take a game over; alpha-dog killer, he is not. On the offensive end anyway and not like Barrett either.

I’m switching the shooting and defensive liabilities of Hurt, while unlocking Cam’s full potential for the aggression and bucket-getting that this latest iteration of Duke basketball seemed to have lacked at times.