Technically, this could change.

But will it? Despite Duke still having one available scholarship, at this point in the offseason — with transfer portal possibilities thinning by the day — it’s looking more and more likely that Jon Scheyer’s second roster is set. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Although the Blue Devils would have liked to add a veteran rim protector — which is why they hosted Kadin Shedrick (now at Texas) and Ernest Udeh Jr. (now at TCU) for visits — this is still a squad deserving of a top-three preseason ranking.

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Let’s take a deeper look at why, with thoughts on all 12 of Duke’s current scholarship players:

2022-23: Freshman — 15.1 ppg, 9 rpg, 1.6 apg

The NBA Draft’s loss is Duke’s gain, as Filipowski passed on a likely first-round landing spot in favor of returning to Durham for his sophomore season. If that still seems sort of surprising … well, you’re not alone in thinking so. How many guys who lead a blue blood like Duke in both scoring and rebounding — who win ACC Rookie of the Year and a conference championship in the process — opt not to jump to the next level as soon as possible?

Not many — which is why the greater context matters here. Namely that:

• Filipowski is still rehabbing from offseason hip surgery, which would’ve limited his participation in both the combine and pre-draft workouts.

• The Blue Devils didn’t make a deep NCAA Tournament run, one of his stated goals.

• As the first marketable multi-year Duke player of the NIL era, he should do quite well financially.

• He’ll likely be a preseason All-American, and depending on his performance, he has the potential to play himself into the lottery next year.

But for as good as Filipowski was last season, in order to achieve that last point, he’ll still need to take some strides. Offensively, that starts with his 3-point efficiency; Filipowski shot only 28.2 percent from 3 last season, which raises questions about how much of a true stretch four he can be. Digging even deeper into the numbers, it’s clear his 3-point struggles were more a shot-making issue than a shot selection one. Per Synergy, Filipowski averaged just 0.693 points per possession in spot-up scenarios — which ranked in the 19th percentile nationally — and per CBB Analytics, he shot above 28 percent from 3 from only one segment of the court: the right corner. For Filipowski to maximize his inside-out potential, he’ll need to boost his efficiency from deep (while, in all likelihood, seeing a slight drop in usage).

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But where I’m more curious about Filipowski this season is on defense. One NBA scout told The Athletic after this past season he was pleasantly surprised by Filipowski’s movement skills in space, something he had plenty of opportunities to show with Dereck Lively II anchoring the interior. But with Lively gone, how does Filipowski’s role change? He’s definitely going to play some center, but how much? On one hand, playing Filipowski at center should allow Scheyer to play multiple ball-screen coverages — switching every position, hedging and drop — like he did with Lively. But on the other hand, it’s reasonable to be concerned about Filipowski handling physicality inside. The player and program want to experiment there, so it’ll happen, but keeping Filipowski as a mismatch four man (on both ends of the court) isn’t something Duke should be in a hurry to move away from.

2022-23: Junior — 13.6 ppg, 3.1 apg, 2.5 rpg

Roach’s best option was always to return for his senior season. There just wasn’t an NBA appetite for him this draft cycle, and any overseas opportunities he would’ve had will still be there a year from now. Instead? He gets a Duke degree, surely plenty of NIL opportunities, and the chance to make his second Final Four.

And while Roach is probably already pretty close to maximizing his gifts at the college level — his bigger “jump” came last offseason, going from sometimes-starter to a top-two offensive option — there’s still reason to believe he’ll improve his summer. Why? Because for the first time in his career, he gets a full offseason working with a returning backcourt mate. Scheyer’s midseason decision to move Roach off-ball benefited both him and Tyrese Proctor, and the late-season stats reflect that. In Duke’s last 10 games, per CBB Analytics, Roach’s 3-point percentage jumped to 37.5 percent, compared to his season-long mark of just 34.3 percent. Roach was already a respectable shooter — he averaged 0.938 PPP in spot-up scenarios for the season, per Synergy, which in the 57th percentile nationally — but he can spend this summer really honing his catch-and-shoot chemistry next to Proctor.

One thing to watch with Roach, like with Filipowski, is how Duke’s depth impacts his role. Between Proctor, Jared McCain, Caleb Foster and, to a lesser extent, Jaylen Blakes, there are a lot of guards looking to share minutes. Roach played a team-high 33.2 minutes per game this season — and with a nagging toe injury, at that — but realistically, does Scheyer need him to play that much next season? I’d expect not, especially once conference play starts and the freshmen are up to speed, but that’ll be a fluid situation that evolves over time.

Tyrese Proctor

2022-23: Freshman — 9.4 ppg, 3.3 apg, 3.1 rpg

You could — and I probably would — make the argument that Proctor improved more over the course of last season than any other Duke player. (I would also hear arguments for Lively.) The anecdotal evidence of that was in the Blue Devils’ season-ending loss to Tennessee; Proctor scored 14 of his team-high 16 points in the second half, eviscerating the Volunteers’ in the pick-and-roll and almost single-handedly saving Duke’s season. But the stats also back up his growth. Compare Proctor’s season-long stats (listed above) to those from Duke’s last 10 games: 10.9 ppg, 4.4 apg (in the 96th percentile nationally, per CBB Analytics), and 40.5 percent shooting from 3. As if reclassifying wasn’t difficult enough on Proctor’s development, he also had to adjust to American college basketball rules, which differ from those in his native Australia. That process took some time.

Aussie accent on the mic’d up #content >>>>>>>

😅😅 @TyreseProctor

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) June 8, 2023

Which is why, now that Proctor is adjusted, I’m expecting a sort of breakout sophomore season. I expect Proctor to be firmly in the mix not just for All-ACC honors, but potentially even for Player of the Year honors. He can be that good. His pace is phenomenal, and his blend of vision and passing makes him a nightmare against drop coverage. And if that late-season 3-point pace endures? Just look out. NBA scouts are as high on Proctor long-term as any player Duke has next season.

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Though it’s harder to quantify defense, especially beyond counting stats like steals, Proctor’s growth as a man-to-man defender also bears mentioning. At 6-foot-5 with a 6-7 wingspan, his length can overwhelm opposing guards, which makes him an ideal point-of-attack defender. So long as Proctor keeps getting stronger — something that hurt him at times defensively last season, especially on post-ups — then he and Mitchell should form a potent perimeter duo.

2022-23: Freshman — 9.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.2 apg

Now introducing Duke’s best defender, and I’m not sure how close it’ll be. At 6-8 and 220 pounds, plus a 7-foot wingspan, Mitchell looks like an NBA 2K create-a-player on the wing. Last season, per KenPom, he committed only 1.5 fouls per 40 minutes, the fourth-best rate amongst all high-major players. He has the size and strength to slide up and defend true forwards, but also the speed to stay with quicker, smaller perimeter players. Truly, he can guard every position — and with Lively gone, his weak side defense is going to be even more paramount. I voted Mitchell to the All-ACC defensive team last season, and his raw tools shine through best on that end of the floor. Just look at the one game he missed: against Tennessee, forward Olivier Nkamhoua (whom Mitchell would’ve been defending) erupted for 27 points.

The focus on Mitchell’s defense shouldn’t take away from how he was offensively a pleasant surprise as a freshman. There’s a reason Duke went 15-1 when he scored in double figures. Even with limited volume — he only took 1.5 3s per game — Mitchell shot 35.2 percent from deep, which was second-best on the team behind Dariq Whitehead. The splits there were interesting; Mitchell shot 12 of 21 from 3 (about 57.1 percent) from the left corner and wing, per CBB Analytics, but just 7 of 32 (about 21.9 percent) from everywhere else behind the arc. Can he balance that out more this season? Potentially, especially if he irons out some of the herky-jerky nature of his jumper, which is more like a line drive at present. Beyond his shooting, Mitchell’s slashing and finishing inside was a welcome complement against more physical teams — something Duke really could’ve used against Tennessee. Mitchell isn’t a tremendous passer, but his sheer physicality on both ends makes him a versatile and valuable do-everything player.

2022-23: Senior — 6.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.6 apg

“Rec League Ryan” has negative connotations — although Young will be a YMCA terror in pickup games once he graduates — but the Northwestern transfer was an underrated asset for Duke last season. Why? Because of his insane efficiency as an interior scorer and rebounder. Per KenPom, Young was No. 13 nationally in offensive rebound rate (and No. 5 among high-major players) and No. 17 in offensive rating, while shooting 68.5 percent from the field. Those are crazy marks, even factoring in Young’s somewhat limited minutes. That obviously showed up in games and was the reason why Young ended up starting nine times, but it also paid dividends in practice in getting Lively up to speed with the college game. Without Young, Lively probably doesn’t emerge as the defensive threat he did as quickly or as completely.

Young still has his limitations — athletically, namely — but Duke could do worse as a sometimes-starter at center. Filipowski and Christian Reeves — who played all of 42 minutes as a freshman — are the only other options Scheyer really has at center right now, although Mitchell or Sean Stewart moonlighting there aren’t out of the question. Young can be susceptible defensively, especially against quicker bigs, and the team’s options with ball-screen defense are restricted because of that. Still, he can hold his own against stronger, conventional centers, which should pay dividends come March. The point is, whether as an occasional starter or one of the first guys off the bench, Young is going to be involved again this season — just, in limited doses, when his lack of athleticism won’t be as detrimental.

Jaylen Blakes

2022-23: Sophomore — 3.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.3 apg

Blakes cracked the rotation early last season, but he fell out of it by conference play. His defensive intensity is valuable, but offensively, his handle is still a little too loose to warrant primary ballhandling responsibilities — and his jumper isn’t consistent enough to where he can play off-ball. That’s a tough place to be, especially considering the glut of guards Duke has this season. Blakes will compete with Foster and McCain for backup guard duties, but he’s facing something of an uphill climb there. Blakes was always going to be a longer-term developmental piece, and may have to wait another season to make a real dent in the rotation.

2022-23: Freshman — 2.1 ppg, 6.9 mpg

Schutt (pronounced shoot) has one skill in spades, and it’s his namesake. Though he played only 96 minutes all season, Schutt took 20 3-pointers and made seven of them, good for 35 percent. If Schutt can replicate that rate at a higher clip — or even better, improve it to the 38-40 percent range — then Scheyer will have to find minutes for him. Schutt’s high school trainer, Rick Carter, compared the 6-5 wing to another sharpshooter he coached at the college level: former DePaul and current Miami Heat wing Max Strus. Schutt has the talent to contribute offensively, but if the former four-star recruit doesn’t crack the lineup this year, there may be other opportunities for him outside of Durham.

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Christian Reeves

2022-23: Freshman — 1.5 ppg, 3.2 mpg

One of the more interesting, and potentially pivotal, players on the roster. Reeves arrived at Duke as a long-term, developmental big, and his freshman season was essentially a redshirt year. If Duke had landed another rim-protecting veteran in the portal — or if it does, even at this late date — then maybe Reeves gets another year of behind-the-scenes seasoning. But with that looking unlikely, there’s a chance that Reeves has to contribute at the center position this season. He showed some promising flashes last season — like in Duke’s preseason scrimmage, and against Zach Edey in Portland — that suggests his development may be ahead of schedule, but it’s hard to truly trust a sample size that small … especially given the proven talent elsewhere on the roster. Reeves has his size going for him — he’s now the biggest player on the team, at 7-1 and 245 pounds — but the extent to which he’s ready to contribute this season could have a larger impact on Duke’s ceiling than folks may expect.

Jared McCain

2022-23: Senior, Centennial (CA) High School

All of Duke’s incoming recruits are in the same general ballpark rankings-wise, but technically, McCain is the highest of the lot — and his role should reflect that. While McCain and Foster are competing for backup guard minutes behind Roach and Proctor, Duke will also experiment with three-guard lineups this season, something it didn’t necessarily have the luxury to do in Scheyer’s first season. Is it possible Scheyer starts three guards, elevating McCain or Foster alongside his four returners? Absolutely, especially if McCain’s shooting — his best skill offensively — translates from the jump.

Even if he doesn’t start, McCain should be Duke’s sixth or seventh man from Day 1. He’s that potent offensively, and though he might be on the shorter end as a true shooting guard — he’s listed at 6-2 and 170 pounds — he does have a sturdier frame, which should help him transition to the college game more quickly. McCain can play on or off the ball, which makes him a seamless fit with the rest of Scheyer’s backcourt options.

Caleb Foster

2022-23: Senior, Notre Dame (CA) High School

Foster first caught the Duke staff’s attention for his dual scoring and distributing skills, but during his senior season — after he transferred to Notre Dame from Oak Hill Academy — he definitely showcased more of the former. Early buzz out of summer workouts backs that up; Foster has apparently been flexing his scoring muscle plenty in practices. For all the rumors and chatter over the years about Foster decommitting, it sounds like Duke’s persistence paid off.

But if Foster is that capable as a scorer, does it make more sense for him to anchor Duke’s second unit? Like McCain, he’s going to play plenty — both in reprieve of and alongside Roach and Proctor — and have a chance to start. How Scheyer handles his borderline backcourt backlog is probably one of two things I’m most interested in with this season’s roster. (What he does at center, obviously, is the other.) Foster has more size than McCain, given his 6-5 listing, but also has probably shown more table-setting abilities in the past. Their pairing, honestly, might not be too dissimilar to Roach and Proctor’s, considering both can handle it, score, and set up their teammates.

T.J. Power

2022-23: Senior, Worcester Academy in Worcester, Mass.

The staff is enamored with his potential. You can understand why. At 6-9 and 215 pounds, Power has ideal size to play either forward position, although his perimeter potential as a shooter and scorer is especially intriguing. I’ve mentioned the possibilities of McCain and Foster starting (and Stewart could, too), but Power is my sleeper pick for that spot. To me, it just makes a ton of sense to have a guy out there who gives you size and shooting — and who, to the largest extent, maintains the same roles for the four returning starters.

Like with Foster, the early word out of Durham is that Power has impressed as a scorer. Duke’s dedication to defense last season paid dividends, especially late in the year once the offense caught up, but the reverse could be true this season with the number of bucket-getters at Scheyer’s disposal. Power’s recruitment took off when he started hitting 3s with more consistency, which obviously would get him on the floor quickly next season, but he’s still a more-than-capable driver with a solid frame. There’s no way Scheyer can get all these recruits the minutes they probably deserve, but Power stands out in this freshman class because of his versatility.

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Sean Stewart

2022-23: Senior, Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla

Stewart arrives after a celebrated high school career, and his experience playing alongside other elite talents — both at Montverde and with Team USA — should make his fit in Durham that much more seamless. If Stewart were an inch or two taller, he’d probably have been a top-five national recruit. As is, at 6-8 and 230 pounds, Stewart already has a grown man’s frame, and he uses it to his advantage on the interior. He’s an advanced rebounder — which Duke can certainly use with Lively gone — and should be one of the team’s better inside scorers from the jump.

But where does Scheyer play Stewart? He’s probably more of a four than a three at this point in his development, considering his offensive game still needs some polish, but he could realistically also slide to center if need be. That probably isn’t the best use of Stewart’s gifts on a full-time basis, but his ability to protect the rim may force Scheyer’s hand to some extent. Stewart will be competing with Power (and to a lesser extent, Reeves and Young) for backup minutes in the frontcourt. I expect Scheyer to play around with him at multiple positions, and Stewart should be able to contribute from the season-opener while still improving over time.

(Top photo of Kyle Filipowski and Jeremy Roach:  Grant Halverson / Getty Images)