This is not surprising, but it may be the biggest thing handicapping the expansion teams. A strong development system that produces homegrown players is one of the few ways to circumvent the salary cap and roster rules and get an edge on the competition. It's probably the best way. It also takes time. There's no magic powder you can sprinkle on a 13-year-old to make them a fully grown professional. So, teams like ours are going to be a little behind for 5 years or so.
It's also a counter to the "built not bought" argument. Building takes time. Until then, we are going to use our financial resources to bring in the best talent we can at the DP spots.
Oh, and once our academies are producing, we are still going to be spending. Deal with it.