Very, very good post.
I like your analogy with million dollars houses.
It's been explained countless times but people just can't grasp it.
I am only D.III. I can afford to buy a 100k C. with a plan, I could even pay 10 times what they are going for. But I won't balance my budget.
I have seen teams with one of those in my league. They scrap 2 or 3 extra wins with them. But it's not efficient enough. They usually end up parting ways.
It looks a bargain but it's not, alone it won't get you promoted in many countries.
They are worth nothing to me. If I was offered one, I would refuse it.
Those players are for Top 2 leagues. And as those who need them already have them, this is what drives prices down. It's been explained countless times... There is no demand. It used to be part of BB 101, how to make cash and buy your way up the leagues. It's not anymore for close to 10 seasons, this was the middle ages of Buzzerbeater.
Stop living in the past boys, move on.