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Looking for the next big thing in the NBA? Stop checking your phone check out Utah Summer League.

There's a very good chance that this summer's six-game slate between four teams will have a future star, given that there's three lottery picks from the 2017 draft, and several others from previous drafts playing on the hardcourt this week at the Huntsman Center. While free agency and blockbuster trades have dominated the headlines, the Summer League could represent the future of pro basketball — and Utah will have a frontrow seat.

Here's the case for paying attention to Utah Summer League, which runs Monday, Wednesday and Thursday:

Top-end draft picks

Markelle Fultz will finally make his Huntsman Center debut.

The Washington one-and-done was hurt when the Huskies made their way to Salt Lake City in February (likely to the Utes' relief), but the No. 1 overall draft pick will be on display in a Philadelphia jersey on Monday afternoon. It's the second straight year the top pick will make a 76ers debut in Utah after Ben Simmons did it last year.

Fultz was a very bright spot on a very bad team during the last college basketball season, averaging 23.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game and shooting over 41 percent from 3-point range. He's expected to have an immediate impact on his franchise. Heck, his future teammates cleared out a locker for him before the draft.

According to the Sixers, he's also uncommonly grounded for a player of his stature.

"Regardless of who the coach was, he was eager to want to learn, come up and make sure he could find a way to fit in," Sixers assistant Billy Lange told CSN Philly last week. "It's going to be exciting to coach him over the next few weeks."

Expect there to be a lot of interest on that first day, when Fultz shares the floor with the No. 3 pick Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics. Given that Boston traded the No. 1 pick to Philly for the No. 3 pick and a future pick, it's only natural that career comparisons between Fultz and Tatum start right away.

At 6-foot-8, Tatum became arguably the most important player for Duke (16.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 spg) at the end of the year. In a loaded draft, he was graded as a polished prospect with limited upside. Boston disagrees about the upside part.

Then there's Donovan Mitchell, the Jazz's unexpected lottery pick who was a late mover up draft boards thanks to his athleticism and character. He's been promised as a defense-first guard who can make athletic plays on offense and has a ton of potential at either guard spot.

How soon does he start showing that? Mitchell himself wants to be one of the best defenders on the floor this week, but he anticipates a learning curve.

"I think the actual game will be a little different than practice, that's just generally how it is," he said. "Once that happens, that's when I'll start to pick it up and hit that learning curve, just going through it."

Returners looking to break out

Sometimes we're so obsessed with the new that we overlook the not-quite-as-new-but-still-pretty new. That's the case for several former draft picks who will be in Utah (again) this week: Jaylen Brown, Dejounte Murray and others among them.

Some, like Brown and Murray, have spots secure on their NBA team, but will be looking for more minutes and bigger roles come October. They can start working on their craft more in Summer League, whether that's knowing defensive assignments or getting better at shooting. Others, might have a more tenuous grip on their roster spot, much less their role.

For the Jazz, there's a lot of eyes on Dante Exum, who will be expected to take on more leadership on the court and off it. He's entering his fourth year in the league, partially stunted by injury, and in season exit interviews, he was outspoken about the fact that he wants to play point guard for Utah.

This is his opportunity, albeit on a less competitive scale, to prove he's capable. Jazz assistant Alex Jensen has said multiple times he'd like for Exum to "stand out." This weekend in practice, Exum said he's been pushing himself to be more of a leader for the rookies and younger players.

"I'm not too much of a 'go here, go there' type guy but I've been pulling guys aside and giving my opinion on certain things and trying to help them that way," he said. "Hopefully this helps me move in that direction to be that kind of leader."

From a Jazz perspective, it would also be welcome for Joel Bolomboy, a 2016 draft pick, to take a step forward. He's said he wants to lead both the Utah and Las Vegas Summer Leagues in rebounding.

Tension among teams

Is this an all-time low for Salt Lake City-Boston relations?

Gordon Hayward's free agency, and the Celtics' and Jazz's mutual pursuit of him, has the two franchises, cities and fanbases at odds. That's interwoven with Boston general manager, former BYU star Danny Ainge, pulling the strings on Hayward's recruitment, just as his son Tanner Ainge launches a bid for Congress. On Saturday, it morphed into a war of tweets — Rudy Gobert's emojis vs. Isaiah Thomas' emojis. Things are tense.

The actual free agency events will play out in rooms away from the Huntsman Center, and Hayward is expected to make his decision by early next week. But it's unlikely that Boston will be a popular team in Utah this week, and the trash-talking levels could be high for Thursday's match-up between the Jazz and the Celtics.

If Ainge does appear in the arena, imagine broadcast cameras lingering on shots of him in the crowd, giving either smug looks if he's signed Hayward, or smouldering looks if he hasn't.

kgoon@sltrib.com

Twitter: @kylegoon —

Utah Jazz

• Draft pick to watch - Donovan Mitchell. Jazz fans ought to be eager to find out why Dennis Lindsey felt it necessary to trade up for the Louisville guard. He's likely to show his propensity for defense and dunks, but he's also aiming for more shooting efficiency.

• High stakes summer - Dante Exum. Now entering his fourth year in the NBA (albeit with one missed season for injury), the pressure is mounting for the former lottery pick to show something special. He'll have a chance to be the showrunner on offense, and coaches want him to dominate.

• Potential crowd-pleaser - Spencer Butterfield. The former Aggie played in Summer League last season and had a cadre of supporters. He's not flashy, but he plays tough as a gritty defender and aggressive rebounder — which is always appreciated by Jazz fans.

Roster:

Joel Bolomboy, F/C, Weber State*

Tony Bradley, C, North Carolina**

Spencer Butterfield, G, Utah State

Mitch Creek, F, Australia

Dante Exum, G, Australia*

Eric Griffin, C/F, Campbell

Jonathan Holmes, F, Texas

Donovan Mitchell, G, Louisville**

Nate Sobey, G, Wyoming

James Southerland, F, Syracuse

Devondrick Walker, G, Texas A&M

J.P. Tokoto, F, North Carolina

Tyrone Wallace, G, Cal*

Nigel Williams-Goss, G, Gonzaga**

Julian Wright, C, Kansas

*Returning draft pick

**2017 draft pick

Boston Celtics

• Draft pick to watch - Jayson Tatum. The polished Duke forward already has to deal with the pressure of being the No. 3 pick, but he'll also face direct exposure alongside Fultz, who he'll be compared to for the rest of his career thanks to Boston trading away the No. 1 pick.

• High stakes summer - Ante Zizic. A 2016 draft pick, the European big man has finally made his way overseas. He's rangy, athletic and only 20 years old. While he's likely a bit of a project for the next few years, Celtics fans probably would like to see some promise this week.

• Potential crowd-pleaser - Scott Wood. The former Wolfpack standout isn't exactly in line to make an NBA roster, but he can burn down the nets. He won the D-League 3-point shooting contest last year, and expect him to show his fine shooting stroke for the Celtics this week.

Roster:

Kadeem Allen, G, Arizona**

Rosco Allen, F, Stanford

Jabari Bird, G, Cal**

Jaylen Brown, F, Cal*

Perrin Buford, G/F, Middle Tennessee State

Demetrius Jackson, G, Notre Dame*

Landen Lucas, F, Kansas

Abdel Nader, F, Iowa State

Semi Ojeleye, F, SMU**

Terran Petteway, F, Nebraska

Scoochie Smith, G, Dayton

Jayson Tatum, F, Duke**

Trevor Thompson, C, Ohio State

Scott Wood, F, NC State

Ante Zizic, C, Croatia

*Returning draft pick

**2017 draft pick

Philadelphia 76ers

• Draft pick to watch - Markelle Fultz. The latest step in The Process has an incredible all-around game: He can score inside and out, rebound and dish it as well as any prospect in the draft this year. If he can live up to the hype, Fultz could be a treat this week.

• High stakes summer - Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. He's got a roster spot, but with the big money signing of J.J. Redick, the wings are looking a little bit crowded for the Frenchman. It would be ideal for him to take a step forward in summer development.

Potential crowd-pleaser - Isaiah Briscoe. One of the many Kentucky names on this roster, Briscoe didn't get called on draft night. But he knows how to play fast and how to set up teammates with lobs, as his college highlight reel shows. He could be a sparkplug for the 76ers.

Roster:

Brandon Austin, G, Providence

James Blackmon Jr., G, Indiana

Jonah Bolden, F, Australia**

Isaiah Briscoe, G, Kentucky

Larry Drew II, F, UCLA

Markelle Fultz, G, Washington**

Aaron Harrison, G, Kentucky

Charles Jackson, F, Tennessee Tech

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, G/F, France*

Isaiah Miles, F, Saint Joseph's

Alex Poythress, F, Kentucky

Darryl Reynolds, F, Villanova

Kaleb Tarczewski, C, Arizona

Melo Trimble, G, Maryland

*Returning draft pick

**2017 draft pick

San Antonio Spurs

• Draft pick to watch - Derrick White. A feel-good draft story to be sure, White was scoring in DIII obscurity before transferring to Colorado and becoming a star. There's a lot of great guards in Utah Summer League, and White, who can do a little bit of everything, is no exception.

• High stakes summer - Bryn Forbes. The former Michigan State undrafted guard passed a big test last year when he got time in the playoffs. Still, he's learning the point guard position and this week offers him an opportunity to work on that more.

• Potential crowd-pleaser - Cleanthony Early. He flamed out with the Knicks, but the former Shocker who once made NCAA tournament history in Salt Lake City can still score. Injuries have made him less explosive than he used to be, but his savviness makes him worth rooting for.

Roster:

Ben Bentil, F, Providence

Davis Bertans, F, Latvia*

Jaron Blossomgame, F, Clemson**

Cleanthony Early, F, Wichita State

Bryn Forbes, G, Michigan State

Oliviar Hanlan, G, Boston College

Livio Jean-Charles, F, France*

Cory Jefferson, F, Baylor

Cady Lalanne, C, UMass*

Jeff Ledbetter, G, Idaho

Dejounte Murray, G, Washington*

James Robinson, G, Pitt

Derrick White, G, Colorado**

Shayne Whittington, F, Western Michigan

*Returning draft pick

**2017 draft pick