Permanence is a myth in the NBA. Even if you're the team's franchise player, the reality is, if the organization sees a greater opportunity, they would be willing to trade you. Ex-NBA player Charlie Villanueva recalled the time when the Toronto Raptors promised to not trade him but was sent to another team the following day — just like what happened recently to DeMar DeRozan.

In a string of tweets, Villanueva recounted what Raptors executives told him the day before he was traded.

To recall, Villanueva was the seventh overall pick of the Raptors back in 2005. He played 81 games in his rookie season, 36 of which were starts. He had an impressive rookie campaign where he averaged 13 points and 6.4 rebounds in 29.1 minutes per game.

He was primed to be the Raptors' next rising star. Yet in the summer of 2006, he was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for point guard T.J. Ford.

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This is what NBA players yearn for. Staying in one city their entire career gives them a sense of stability. On the other hand, moving to a different one after having stayed for so long in a previous city forces them, up to a certain extent, to start all over again.

Early on, Villanueva learned the cold, hard facts. Despite being a prized rookie then, he was not assured of a long future in Toronto. And with the recent news regarding DeRozan, Villanueva concluded that being a star player does not exclude one from the realities in the league. As harsh as it may sound, everything is all about business in the NBA, so don't take it personally.