From Deep: How the Cavaliers winning the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes raises the bar in Cleveland

At 26, the three-time All-Star is set to lead Cleveland's best non-LeBron team in a generation

The Cleveland Cavaliers could have run it back. Had they decided not to meet the Utah Jazz's asking price for three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell -- or had the New York Knicks decided to do so -- they would have returned largely the same team that, 60 percent of the way through 2021-22, was third in the East. Maybe they would have worked something out with restricted free agent Collin Sexton, so they'd have some more scoring punch.

But they wanted a lot more scoring punch. They wanted a proven playoff performer who has seen every type of defense there is. Their offense ranked 20th last season. Mitchell was the engine of the one that ranked first.

In a way, everything lined up perfectly in The Land. Mitchell, who turned 26 earlier this month, is the oldest member of Cleveland's core. He's thrilled to join 22-year-old Darius Garland and 24-year-old Jarrett Allen, who both made the All-Star team last season, and Evan Mobley, 21, who could be the face of the franchise. If you were to invent a theoretical team that should trade for a theoretical star entering his prime, it would be a young team on the upswing, with enough draft picks and contracts to get a deal done without losing its most important players.