Dahntay Jones tells TMZ Sports LaMelo Ball would be a great fit at Duke ... ONLY IF LaVar Ball stays quiet.
Of course ... Melo's recruitment is wide open these days -- especially after LaVar said there's no way in hell LaMelo follows in his brothers' footsteps to UCLA.
Jones -- an ex-Duke star -- says he could see a place for Melo with Coach K ... but says the Big Baller has to keep out of the limelight .