It’s hard moving on from players, especially if they have meant something to a franchise. There are relationships and emotions tied into these situations, and callously sending away a beloved player – star or role player – is harder than it seems. Just ask the Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are no exception to this situation either, especially with the violent oscillation between basement and contention based largely on whether or not LeBron James was on the roster. That caused them to hold on to some players for far too long, missing out on value in a trade or short-circuiting the best path forward for the franchise.