On one hand Lucas hated directing and that is why he gave it up. And on the other hand he hated to cede control of one of his films to anyone, except the exception being Steven Spielberg. He hated films going over budget, he hated the writing process and didn’t like the technological limitations in his way of achieving his vision.
Collaboration was a necessity but he didn’t like to do that either.

When it came to do the prequels he just decided the hell with it and wrote and directed them himself to avoid what happened on Empire and Jedi. Its his way or no way. It would have been the same for the sequels had he not sold to Disney.