I was really expecting the ending of this to be “how dare the league change the rule in this way, it’s so unreasonable” and I’m glad that I was completely wrong.
To me it’s simple, a GM player is likely to be a very good player. Why should you get that player, that clearly as a GM you are depending on, for free or for VASTLY lower than they are worth? Any other player in the draft you can’t do that with so why should it be possible with your own? If you want them so bad then trade up and get them, or trade for them after the draft, nothing stopping you.
I didn’t mind adding the first round pick rule (though I didn’t want it) when the league had 8 teams but at double that it’s ridiculous. Just to add the perspective, when the rule was introduced pick 16 would have been the very end of the second round, is that remotely a reasonable spot to get a super active 300+ TPE player that’s guaranteed to stick around as long as you need them and do whatever is best for the team instead of themselves? Obviously not so the fact that’s in the first round now doesn’t change anything.
/rant
I’m not going to give an opinion on whether GM’s MUST have a player but I will say that holding out on recreating isn’t going to sway the league’s hand any.