I dont know if there have been other excuses given (sourced from gossip or SE themselves) but the above is all I have heard and not a single one of them was legitimate cause for what SE did to the SAM class. The solution they pushed live almost directly conflicts with the issue they themselves presented, or the class theme itself.

This is the only reason I was suggesting SE was doing it for themselves. They have given the impression that they are not happy with the original design of the game (from a foundational standpoint) and are literally re-writing the game (and i mean this in reference to many of the class changes besides SAM as well) to be a simpler, more homogenized, easier to design game in the future. This is self serving for SE in the since that, regardless of the player-base's opinion, they are changing the game to be easier to manage in the future (removing complications as the ones brought forth above. Rather then solve the issues, they are simply removing the issues from the game). And in reflection, entirely at cost to the player base, as they are changing the game from what we know, to something else entirely.

I don't know. I share yours' as well as 99% of this forums disappointment in what SE is trying to ram through, despite the protest.