SALT LAKE CITY — One year from now, imagine Kobe Bryant and LeBron James sitting on a stage, about to simultaneously shock the world.

In unison, they boldly declare: “We’re taking our talents to the Wasatch Front.”

No harm in dreaming, even if such a scenario won’t ever happen. But since the Jazz will have millions of dollars available to spend next summer they might as well think big.

Now back to reality.

In unprecedented fashion, certainly for a franchise noted for its stability, the Jazz have undergone a massive roster overhaul. In less than two weeks, it’s been out with the old and in with the new.

All those screaming for a youth movement got their wish and then some. Even veteran role players such as DeMarre Carroll and Randy Foye were discarded.

The two mainstays — Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap — were let go for nothing in return. It’s rare for a team to allow its best player to leave without getting anything back, and it’s almost unheard of that the same thing occurs with the second-best player within days of each other.

If nothing else, credit Jazz management for having courage. Or is it lunacy?

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Forget about having any stars, the Jazz go into next season without a proven NBA starter. The best they have is Gordon Hayward, who during his first three seasons usually seemed perfectly content to play off of Millsap and Jefferson. By virtue of default, the former Butler star has become the team’s most accomplished player.

It’s easy to argue the Jazz could have landed something back for Jefferson and Millsap. Some NBA team would have taken either or both at last season’s trade deadline.

But it’s all moot at this point. The immediate future belongs to the youngsters.

Next season’s starting lineup could be Hayward, Trey Burke, Alec Burks, Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors. The group combined to start 37 games last season, noting that obviously Burke was in college at that time.

While Jazz brass is hopeful that this group can grow together at an accelerated rate, the entire future doesn’t rest solely with these players. In shrewd fashion the Jazz have built in financial freedom to change directions if necessary.

Going young is good for two reasons.

For starters, the next two seasons provide enough of a sample for general manager Dennis Lindsey and the staff to evaluate the talent. If Hayward and Favors prove worthy of being viewed as foundation pieces, the Jazz can confidently open up the checkbook.

The team doesn’t need another Andrei Kirilenko situation in which a player performs well below the huge money he is being paid. With regard to Hayward and Favors there’s no excuse for making a bad investment.

The second reason to jettison the veteran players is it provides the Jazz the opportunity to be major players in the free agent market. As insurance, the Jazz also figure to have several first-round draft selections stemming from their own picks and the trade with the Golden State Warriors that included getting Richard Jefferson, Brandon Rush and Andris Biedrins.

None of these great plans are without risks.

The immediate future could include no playoffs for one or multiple seasons. As several franchises have proved, losing has a way of feeding off itself.

The Jazz also could whiff at signing big-name free agents. Competition could be stiff, with such teams as the Lakers expected to have significant cap space next summer. And then there’s the likes of James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, all of whom could become free agents next summer but aren’t likely to declare “this is the place” in Salt Lake City.

Rather than throw a ton of cash at lesser players, the Jazz could use their flexibility to acquire proven commodities and better draft positions. The point is the Jazz have options, like the one they used in swapping two draft picks with Minnesota to get Burke in last month’s draft.

By letting Jefferson and Millsap walk, the Jazz traded the known — which had shown to have limited returns — for the mysterious. Playing it safe won’t ever bring a championship to Utah.

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