The Cleveland Cavaliers of the last two decades have had one path to a star player, and that is drafting him and hoping he grew up in the greater Cleveland metro area. Even if that path is so narrow it’s unlikely to ever be used again, the Cavs demonstrated while building around LeBron James that trades can be an excellent way to build out a team around a superstar.
The Cavs don’t have that superstar right now. It’s possible that Darius Garland or Collin Sexton take a big leap forward; it’s even more likely, if further out, that Evan Mobley grows into a star.