Utah Jazz standout Jeremy Evans was nonchalant as he spoke with youths at the Gunnison High School basketball camp Wednesday but in his modesty, he couldn't help but inadvertently reveal his worth to the franchise which drafted him in June 2010.

While fielding questions from youngsters after running several drills with them, focusing on rudimentary fundamentals of the game, he said he played three positions while shrugging his shoulders the way only a humble Arkansan can.

Those positions, small forward, center, and power forward, definitely make him an asset to a franchise which is searching for its identity in numerous ways.

Fans throughout the Intermountain West had their hardwood worlds rocked when the Jazz traded star point guard Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets while around the same time, the dean of head coaches in all North American sports, Jerry Sloan resigned.

Obviously, next week's draft is a bellwether moment in Jazz history as the franchise has two selections among the first 12 draft picks.

While many fans are clamoring for Jimmer Fredette to be among the selections and would be a wise investment, in my opinion, Evans is an indispensable piece to the puzzle if Utah is to progress sufficiently.

When I say this, I speak of more than Evans' prodigious basketball skills as he is a young man with a solid foundation, having earned a degree in art from Bowling Green, Ky.-based Western Kentucky University.

Furthermore, while the ignominious threat of a lockout seems all the more certain according to league commissioner David Stern and numerous NBA beat writers throughout the country, such as cbssports.com's Ken Berger, Evans still has a plan in place to ensure he progresses.

As I spoke with him at this youth camp, he said if the lockout occurs, he will likely work out at his old stomping grounds at WKU, while he is committed to marriage, as he has found a charming young woman who became his fiancee just a few days ago, she revealed to me.

I also took the liberty to speak with her for several moments and she is also an enhancement to the state of Utah already, although she has scarcely been in the Beehive State prior to the past few weeks.

Whenever the NBA labor strife ceases, I will tell Greg Miller to simply keep Evans. The explosion he provides off the bench and the proficiency he has shown when given the opportunity (66 percent shooting from the field is pretty solid for a guy who rarely has any plays run for him) make him a valuable commodity.

Furthermore, the Crossett, Ark. native says he emulates Paul Millsap more than any other teammate, so it's obvious the kid has significant basketball acumen, insomuch that I'm sure the impetus of all of my NBA knowledge, ABC/ESPN analyst Hubie Brown, would give him passing marks.

In closing, it is apparent to me the Jazz have made several costly mistakes in cutting ties with the likes of Eric Maynor, Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver.

The last I checked, all of these players, Maynor with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Brewer and Korver in Chicago have done an impeccable job in helping their teams get into championship contention.

Evans, like Millsap, is a low draft pick that pays more dividends than can usually be expected from a player selected so late into the draft.

Do the right thing, Jazz and ink this man to a long-term deal.