Correct. The whole WAR/$ over the life of the contract overlooks the advantage of being able to combine producers on min wage contracts with elite producers paid market value. I would say thats a pretty succesful formula: high paid players carrying their weight + youngsters contributing for very little salary.
If I was a GM and a team told me that I had 800m to spend over the next 4 years, I dont think it would be wise to make sure you spend it evenly. I would probably take advantage of yr 1 and yr 2 job security/honeymoon and throttle back knowing that it would give me excess budget room in my put up or shut up years (years 3 and 4), so I would circle them. And I would even be willing to go youth in yrs 1 and 2 , trade for some prospects.
But when yrs 3 and 4 emerge , I would stop chasing value and efficiency as much. People tell me we shouldnt be cyclical because we should compete for a ship every year and there is no reason to build the team in phases (buld for future, then build for present when future arrives). But we really havent been competive for a ship in 6 years , and it doesnt appear like the rebuild is over and we're on the verge of turning a corner.