Duke basketball should target this guard from its rival program in the transfer portal

Jon Scheyer should reach out to Elliot Cadeau after the season.

Former North Carolina guard Elliot Cadeau has entered the transfer portal after two years as a starter. Cadeau averaged 9.4 points and 6.2 assists this season and entered with a “do not contact” label.

Though Duke’s season may not be over for a few more weeks, head coach Jon Scheyer should definitely give Cadeau a call and try to bring him over from the Blue Devils’ biggest rival. Here’s why.

The Duke basketball team is expected to lose much of its guard depth after this season. Tyrese Proctor is likely heading to the NBA, Caleb Foster may transfer after falling out of the rotation late in the regular season, and Sion James will be out of eligibility.

Foster has recently earned back some playing time through the NCAA Tournament and has performed decently, but there’s still a strong chance he could transfer this offseason.

There’s also been speculation that Isaiah Evans could leave Durham after the season. Although he’s typically seen as a second-round pick in most 2025 NBA mock drafts, reports suggest he’ll have a lot of portal interest if he opts to enter.

With the possibility of losing several key guards, Cadeau would be an excellent addition as Duke’s starting point guard next season.

While Cadeau isn’t an elite scorer, he doesn’t need to be to make a significant impact on this Duke team next season. He’s a terrific passer and a solid defender, which fits the profile of a Blue Devil point guard.

This season, the sophomore led the ACC in total assists with 231 and was second in assists per game with 6.2. If Duke can retain Evans, Cadeau would be an ideal lead guard to help find open looks for the sharpshooter from anywhere on the floor.

The only concern about bringing Cadeau to Duke is that Cayden Boozer, a four-star point guard in the 2025 recruiting class, is a similar player to Cadeau. However, Cadeau’s experience from a top-tier program would likely earn him a starting spot. With other top-tier players like Cameron Boozer and shooters like Nikolas Khamenia joining next season, Cadeau would be an outstanding replacement for either James or Proctor as the lead guard.

While it’s uncertain if Cadeau would consider switching to Duke’s arch rival, Scheyer should certainly give him a call once the offseason begins.