Nah... that's too much dough just for salary matching. I think we have some spare part cap exceptions and such we can use to take on a dead salary while getting something.A bit surprising? Maybe it was a solid to him so he can find a situation he can actually play on? Though he isn't going to be getting anywhere near the money he would have made on that contract, so idk.
I thought they would keep him for salary matching purposes for a trade.