[BostonCard]

I think you misunderstand the criticism.  Because a fifth year is not guaranteed, that offers the staff flexibility to manage the roster.  Basically, Sam McFadden categorized (link) players into three groups.  Those who you really hope to have back, those who you congratulate and send on their way, and a group of players in between where there has been some anticipated contribution, but where if they left it wouldn't be the end of the world.  There are five such players (although you can debate the categories a bit).  So those are guys who give you some flexibility to make offers to players you would really like to add to the class, even if our roster would otherwise be "full".

In any case, the criticism of Shaw arises because of the fifth year players who have entered the portal, too many are from the first category (those we would want to have back) and too few from the third.  Like, I think we would all prefer to have Swann and Williams back, and see Butler and Parson in the portal instead.  Swann, Williams, Hattis, Hamilton, and possibly Eboh, are not in the portal because we needed to make room for incoming players; they are in there because they wanted to explore a change in scenery despite the fact that we want them to come back.

BC

[BostonCard]

I think you misunderstand the criticism.  Because a fifth year is not guaranteed, that offers the staff flexibility to manage the roster.  Basically, Sam McFadden categorized (link) players into three groups.  Those who you really hope to have back, those who you congratulate and send on their way, and a group of players in between where there has been some anticipated contribution, but where if they left it wouldn't be the end of the world.  There are five such players (although you can debate the categories a bit).  So those are guys who give you some flexibility to make offers to players you would really like to add to the class, even if our roster would otherwise be "full".

In any case, the criticism of Shaw arises because of the fifth year players who have entered the portal, too many are from the first category (those we would want to have back) and too few from the third.  Like, I think we would all prefer to have Swann and Williams back, and see Butler and Parson in the portal instead.  Swann, Williams, Hattis, Hamilton, and possibly Eboh, are not in the portal because we needed to make room for incoming players; they are in there because they wanted to explore a change in scenery despite the fact that we want them to come back.

BC