I have brought those points up quite a bit. You also didn't mention Cupps.
And we did land 2 pretty big fish "in the portal/late HS recruiting season" in Ware, MM. I do think we were already out on Knecht by the time MM was heating up.
So to answer your question, I think those two coming back was a pretty big hindrance. There are still 22-28mpg for TG on a good team, and if he goes to the bench, that's fine, but to broad stroke and say "only way we are successful is if TG is our 6th/7th man", no I am not buying that. You just need other people that can score the basketball and stretch the defense...Insert McNeeley/1 or 2 transfer guards/MM grows from FR to SO like Malik and Ware.