… If you are adapting a turd that is going to piss off everyone, wouldn’t you maybe secure some future work ahead of time?

Like… anyone who thinks “because he had the best story” and the chubby author insert with the hot wife winning isn’t pure Martin… I got a bridge to sell you and I’ll give you a discount if you pay in crypto.

As for HBO fixing it themselves? Look at how Martin lost his god damned mind over some minor adaptations for the prequel series. That is far from the first time he has thrown a hissy over anyone touching His Work. Even if they had found someone who could truly untangle the mereneese knot in a perfect manner, it would have just led to an angry old white guy losing his shit and disparaging everyone involved.