They already had all the same people and resources as that company. They don't need it's computers, or it's staff, or it's customers, or it's name. They aquired nothing but a load of integration and hr problems.

They aquired a single person, who will head a team exactly the same as he could have previously. The only difference is now he proved his point.

The article characterization is not only valid, it's not even hyperbole. It's actually plain dry recitation of events.

Yeah, they acquired the company to get Noam Shazeer back. The whole rest of the company was a bonus.