The other thing I think about a lot is SB revised the date of the phone buying to Sept 4 (originally he said the 14th). I haven’t seen any compelling evidence that BL was around after Sept 6 at DeSoto. I do think it was perhaps a de facto goodbye get together. While a neighbor claims to have seen him after that, I do think it’s possible they could be wrong.
I tend to put some weight behind the dates that SB provides, even if he does have to later correct them. Now, do I think he should ask his clients to be absolutely sure they are correct before they tell him dates and he releases that information, yes. But I think there would be some irreparable harm done to his client(s) if it's been stated numerous times that BL went hiking on the 14th (later amended to the 13th) and then they had to come back and amend that to say, oh, sorry, we lost an entire week in there and he actually left on the 6th/7th.
If that's true, it will come out. When BL is finally found or when phone records are obtained or CCTV footage or something allowing LE to better track his comings and goings, when he actually left will come out, and it would be absolutely detrimental to the case if it were off by a week. BL on the run is bad enough, to add an additional week into that definitely makes it look like aiding and abetting.
I think SB does give out intentionally vague and purposefully worded statements, but to completely make up a date seems like a big risk for him. I'm not an attorney, so I'm not 100% sure of what their ethical and legal obligations are, but I feel like that could possibly lead to disbarment. They may be friends, but are they the kind of friends you sacrifice your career for?