...and I love rampant, unfounded, unsupported, and crazy-butt recruiting speculation as much or more than anybody on this board.
I love the question, but it is just way too soon. Normally, here at Duke, we are in a position to speculate about down the road recruiting. That is because Duke is usually more settled, one way or the other. In the past Decade, we have either had a huge incoming class or been really loaded already, or both. Also, the current players were more known quantities than currently exists.
This year, there are simply too many variables to compute. The roster in two years is simply too unknown. There is not a single position where a recruit could look at Duke and say that there will absolutely be a need. In two years, Paulus will definitely be gone (barring injury redshirt), but Nolan Smith could be ready to step in for him.
The post is a possibility, but it could very well be that Zoubek and Thomas have rapidly improved their games and seem poised to gobble up minutes as Seniors (meaning it would be very hard for a freshman, even a supremely talented one, to displace them in Duke's system, simply because the D scheme can be hard to fully grasp immediately). This says nothing of Singler, who could still be at Duke.
Once this year shapes up (ie, we know what BZ and LT's carreer trajectory looks like, and we see how long GH and KS will be in the program) we will have a better grasp on Duke's needs. Also, the recruiting class is murky, later in the summer than in recent memory.
Loathe though we are to admit it, Duke might not get a single recruit this year. Our top two targets, Williams and Monroe, are by no means locks. GM projects as a one year player, so he probably won't factor in to the 2009 class's thinking, but Williams's committment to Duke would all but lock up the perimeter rotation (with Scheyer and Nolan Smith). K might bring in one more, but that would only be in Smith proves completely incapable of running the point, likewise Williams, who looks like a combo guard. If BZ and LT look good this year, the 09 class might take a wait and see approach to see if they were good enough in 08-09 to leave early before committing.
See, there are too many what if's to even wildly speculate about Duke's needs. The only position where Duke might reasonably be thin would be an athletic SF (but any team needs one of those every 1-2 years anyway). Again, our need there depends on recruiting this year and player retention.
I like your list. I would perhaps add Cousins from Bama to the list. Some of the PGs you listed are not currently considering Duke, but that could change in 2 years. The size of your list indicates the very uncertainty of which I speak. Recently, the staff has basically already ID'd the players we will pursue in the Jr class and begun to focus on them. The size of your list indicates that the Staff probably has little more insight on this issue than we do. I predict this will clear up, at least for the staff, after the summer evaluation period.
Let's pick this thread up during the Christmas break, when our needs and targets will be somewhat clearer.
Patrick Yates
ps. I think this year we see a sea change in recruiting. Monroe is taking a wait and see approach. I would not be surprised to see him wait until after the McD's game to make his decision. He is going to wait and see how the entire situation at his top schools play out before committing. If Duke loses nobody early, and BZ and LT develop, and KS delivers on his promise, Duke's front court will be pretty crowded (not to mention GOOD). GM would probably play, a lot, but the others would siphon off shots and minutes from a player who is basically playing to audition for endorsement deals. Sorry folks, but that is the hard cold reality of the recruiting world today.