Take of the week: Grayson Allen needs to be Duke's Swiss army knife

Every week, the Blue Zone will make a take on Duke basketball—whether that take may be hot, cold or lukewarm. This week's take is in from associate sports editor Ben Feder: 

The take: Grayson Allen needs to be this team’s Swiss army knife

Grayson Allen has had quite the start to the season. Named the sole team captain at the beginning of the year for one of Duke’s youngest squads, Allen made waves when he willed the Blue Devils to victory against then-No. 2 Michigan State in Chicago with Marvin Bagley III sidelined, and was immediately vaulted into the pole position for national player of the year. 

But since then, Bagley has cemented himself as the team’s No. 1 option, and though Allen has hit some key shots, he is not relied upon as he was two years ago, when he was attempting more than 14 shots from the field a game. Regardless, the basket has not been Allen’s friend recently. The past five games, Allen has made just a third of his shots from the field and 23.1 percent from deep.

Despite his cold shooting in Duke’s victories against Wake Forest and Pittsburgh this week, Allen has found different ways to make an impact, registering game highs in both rebounds and assists, something he is capable of in spurts. His 12 boards Saturday against Wake Forest were the most of his career.

Yes, this Blue Devil squad is good right now, and it is also extremely talented. But every great team has that one player who can do whatever is needed on any given night. For Duke’s 2015 national championship team, that guy was Justise Winslow, and right now, the Blue Devils do not have that versatile threat yet. 

That is what they need Allen to do. Whether it is stepping up and making some key 3-pointers, providing a little extra hustle to push the team or transitioning into a point guard to spell Trevon Duval, Allen has proved that he can be the one capable of doing that.

And if Duke wants to cut down the net in April, Allen is going to have to be that guy.