Sure. If he wanted a little money it probably wouldn’t have mattered. If he wanted a promise to make more than Braden, for example, that would be a potential issue. The problem is that a majority of these transfers are treating it as free agency and looking to cash in with the highest bidder.
It is not a perfect example, but my understanding is that Rutgers used a majority of its NIL money to bring in its two superstar freshmen and was unable to keep its veterans as a result. Painter is prioritizing continuity and I think it’s absolutely the right approach that very few coaches are able to pull off. Again, I am not saying that Purdue should never take a transfer, but it is not a foundational strategy and is not going to be done at the expense of bringing back the important contributors on next year’s team.
People look at the Auburn game and assume that Purdue can’t compete with this approach, but Auburn is loaded this season and Purdue is kind of in a transition year and still a legitimate top 15 team. There’s a lot of talent on this roster with a lot of potential for growth and improvement, not to mention the 7’3” returning injured freshman and who gave us a glimpse of his tremendous potential.
