We had 3 guys foul out last time we played them and might have 6 scholarship players and only 1 walk-on this time. Hell a walk on TOOK THE LAST SHOT the last time we played them! If the same fouling result happened or we had an injury or whatever, there's a chance we'd have to play 3 or 4 vs. 5 on CV's senior night.
I don't know what Sid has done. If it is especially egregious that would ruin the culture by playing him, then sure, Hurley should not play him.
If you can use the circumstances as a motivating factor and spin it and let the team vote or something and let Sid dress (and play regularly or in emergencies as dictated by his conduct), then just do that. Let Sid earn the UConn uni by his peers decree. This "my team is on the floor" stuff is ridiculous and dramatic and idiotic. You all want to be hardo coaches from the 70's and 80's so bad. If you're building a culture 365, it can survive a guy coming in the game when you're down to 4 guys in a game and he has to play. You might even get a different sports movie moment out of it.