I appreciate where you're coming from, and I don't fully disagree with you. I'm going to assume, however, that your line of work would allows you to work until old age, or at least well into your 50's.
Edler is likely negotiating his last contract. Unless he is hiding his talents as an amazing, rockstar, musician, there is no job out there for him that will ever bring him the fame and fortune, let alone the thrill of playing professional sports. He has every right to test free agency, just like Jim Benning has every right to let him walk unless he signs for under market value.
Based on your assessment, one could argue that Benning is also being greedy, by asking Edler to leave MILLIONS of dollars and years of term on the table, just because Edler loves this city.
In this scenario, who is taking advantage of who?