That's an interesting idea.
There's also the idea that Trump truly loves, respects, and looks up to Putin, because Putin has achieved power over an entire nation and everyone and everything in it in the exact way Trump dreams of, and to achieve that, he needs to stay on Putin's good side so Trump can continue to benefit from his generous counsel.
Because remember: at his core, Trump is nothing like a man of immense strength and unshakeable decisiveness who can stand astride an entire nation like a colossus, fend off all manner of challenges with his sheer innate force of will, and chart his winning course irrespective of the efforts of anyone else who supports or opposes him. At his core, Trump is an insecure little boy with extreme daddy issues who is scared to death of ultimate failure, and he needs daddy for both success and validation.