I think what we're getting confused by is the difference between money being sent to a team and a team paying part of a player's deal. There is a difference between saying the Dodgers sent the Padres $5 million dollars toward Kemp's contract and the Dodgers are paying $5 million of Kemp's contract. If you're sending money then yes, the team gets the money and not the player so therefore it doesn't necessarily go to the players contract. But, if it states that x team is paying x amount towards a salary than the new team doesn't get any money and the player's salary is already altered