How to free up storage on iPad Air 2 with iCloud

I have a 64GB iPad Air 2 (2015), with software up-to-date, that is almost entirely full (63.8), with virtually no apps downloaded. The biggest culprit is my Messages, which are taking up almost 30GB. I do have iCloud sync enabled and backed up on all my devices (iPhone, iMac, MacBook Air) and my iPad is the only place where the messages are taking up so much space; in all other locations, the device is pushing the messages (and photos, videos, attachments) to iCloud to free up space. I have tried toggling off the iCloud sync, turning Messages on and off, and restarting the iPad in between. I don't want to delete all the messages across iCloud and all devices, in part because I pay for 2TB of storage on iCloud. My primary use of the iPad is for internet access and to watch streaming videos. Right now, all streaming apps have been offloaded automatically due to lack of space so I can't use the iPad at all to watch videos. I don't really need the Messages function on there. It seems maybe my iPad is just too old to automatically push messages to iCloud? If I toggle off the Messages/iCloud connection on my iPad and then delete all the Messages stored on my iPad, will that work to free up space while preserving what is stored in the cloud?