SALT LAKE CITY — The NBA draft is next Thursday and the Utah Jazz are rigorously scouting potential draft-eligible players ahead of their busy evening. The Jazz own four of the draft’s 60 picks, and are expected to be busy on draft night, both making selections and scouring the league for potential trades.

In past drafts, where the Jazz were picking in the lottery and had an abundance of young players at each of the five starting positions, some agents hoped to avoid having their mostly highly touted players work out for the Jazz. The agents hoped to land their clients on rosters with bigger needs at that player's specific position, increasing the speed of development.

However, with two selections at the end of the first round, and a roster that may be in flux as soon as early July, agents may hope to land their players with the Jazz, both securing guaranteed first-round money and an opportunity for playing time.

Should the Jazz opt to trade any of their picks, they could look to acquire more established NBA players, as they did last season when they traded the draft’s 12th overall pick for point guard George Hill. Hill, now a pending free agent, paid dividends for the Jazz this past season, helping propel the young roster into the playoffs before a sweep at the hands of the Golden State Warriors in the second round.

The Jazz could target aging point guards on younger rosters who no longer fit their teams' building plans. Two targets to keep an eye on for draft night are the Phoenix Suns’ Eric Bledsoe and the Minnesota TImberwolves' Ricky Rubio.

If the Jazz choose to keep their picks, though it’s unlikely they could replace Hill’s production with a player selected at either 24 or 30, they could look to add depth to the roster should Hill sign elsewhere this offseason. In addition to Hill, point guard Shelvin Mack is a free agent, and though he could be an affordable option to replace Hill on the open market, beginning the season with Mack as the team’s starter would signal a step backwards in talent.

Should the Jazz find themselves once again rebuilding at the point guard position, they could allow Dante Exum to take the lion's share of the minutes while developing a younger ball handler behind him, if Exum fails to live up to his lofty expectations. The Jazz have worked out Oklahoma State point guard Jawun Evans, who is projected as a borderline first-round selection.

With Gordon Hayward’s upcoming free agency continuing to dominate the headlines for the Jazz's summer plans, they could look to address the void he’d leave should he choose to head east this summer. Though it’s rare to find proven wing scorers late in the first round, this draft may provide the Jazz with a few options.

Having recently worked out Semi Ojeleye, the Jazz could look to add one of college basketball’s most efficient shooters from last season. Ojeleye averaged 19 points per game as a junior last season, while his advanced age (22) and body might make him an ideal candidate to step in and play as a rookie.

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Similarly, Colorado’s Derrick White, who will turn 23 before the 2017-18 NBA season, proved to be an impressive scorer in the Pac-12 last season. White, a late bloomer, averaged 18 points per game for the Buffaloes and continued to show his scoring prowess at the NBA’s Draft Combine.

Where the Jazz once looked overloaded at the power forward position, it now appears to be one of the biggest questions marks on the team’s roster. Derrick Favors' declining health, expiring contract and questionable fit next to Rudy Gobert make him a prime target to leave the Jazz either through trade or in free agency next summer. Trey Lyles, who had a standout rookie season, underachieved as a sophomore and left the Jazz with as many questions as answers going into a critical third year.

With those issues, the Jazz could look to address the power forward position in what has been billed as one of the deeper drafts for big men in recent NBA history. UCLA’s TJ Leaf, Michigan’s DJ Wilson and Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan have all worked out for the Jazz in recent weeks and could hear their names selected by the Jazz on draft night. Each of the three provide the ability to stretch the floor, with Leaf providing the most upside, while Swanigan might be the most NBA ready.

Though center may be the Jazz position of least need going into next season, fans shouldn’t be surprised if the team selects one of the draft’s many talented center prospects late in the first round. With a decreasing value of big men in the small-ball era of the NBA, the Jazz could find a player they’ve ranked highly on their draft board available in the 20s.

UCLA’s Ike Anigbogu, Kentucky’s Bam Adebayo and North Carolina’s Tony Bradley would all have been potential lottery picks in past NBA eras, but now could find themselves fighting to stay in the draft’s first round. Finding a center capable of replacing Favors' backup minutes behind Gobert could both preserves Favors' health and make him easier to trade should the Jazz opt to move his expiring deal. It would also give the Jazz one of the best center rotations in the NBA.

Whereas in past drafts, agents sought to steer their clients clear of the Jazz during the workout process, it appears they may be targeting the Jazz as a landing spot at the end of the first round. Both Leaf and Louisville’s Donovon Mitchell have worked out for the Jazz, despite being projected to be drafted before the 24th pick by most outlets. While the Jazz's biggest questions of the summer won’t be answered until July, their need to improve talent across the board in the offseason will allow them to draft the best player available when they find themselves picking in next week’s draft.

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