Do you mean the scouting? When I started I kept and trained Dane Marsh, the 6 pick from season 29. I used 10 points for the combine and fully scouted 3 players, so I bought 20 points at probably 10k/week the whole 10 weeks. I figure, however, that you really only get one serviceable player out of the three and it costs 100k total over a season (not terrible). But, for example Marsh has 6 potential at the 6th pick and my 1st preference. I sold my second preference from the top of the second round, a 7ft perennial allstar for 70k. I made out well, since Marsh is a decent enough player and may get a bit better. The next season I won more games, meaning I was looking at the bottom of the 1st round for my 1st, so I decided to skip the draft. Instead I bought trainees (Yuying, Masse, and Pence) for $150k total. Masse sucks and Yuying suck and Pence also sucked. But, I got 300k for Pence, Masse has 10 OD now, and Yuying only sucks against teams that don't also suck. I can get 300 or more for Masse, and if I unload Yuying, I can get 500k or more. That is a decent enough return on players even considering the training investment and salaries incurred. Of course finding players in the draft is the best way to get high potential, good trainees on a budget, but simply buying players you can be assured are trainable is more than viable. With Marsh, he is a better player than the trainees I have bought, but after just purchasing, I am sure that I won't be stuck with any of those poison-pill atrocious stats that kill the whole process.
Just a thought, if you aren't looking at a good pick there are lots of potential trainees on the TL that cost less than 100k you can train and sell after a few seasons. Ostensibly, the plan is that with the cash from mediocre trainees, then you can buy one of the blue chips.