Even in an inactive trade season, the trade deadline can offer plenty of activity on the fringes of rosters. Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal reported the Cavaliers will not pick up Manny Harris' contract, opting to keep their 15th and final roster spot open to maintain flexibility heading into the trade deadline.
Harris signed two 10-day contracts with the Cavaliers, so a third extension would have made his contract permanent through the rest of the season. The Cavaliers could always choose to bring Harris back after the trade deadline.
In the grand scheme of things, this is a small move in NBA terms. But it's always interesting to note what little things teams do headed into the trade deadline, from minor tweaks to their roster to make room for an incoming player, or a shift in playing time both before and after the deadline as teams audition players for the market.
I suspect that your last comment – “a shift in playing time both before and after the deadline as teams audition players for the market” – is exactly the reason for the recent change in the Cavaliers playing style. They’ve obviously told Kyrie not to bother in the first three quarters and to let Jamison handle the team through then, then finish the game decisively. Furthermore, his minutes have reduced as Sessions gets trotted out off the bench more often to make him attractive trade bait. Admittedly it’s been a winning strategy so far. Hopefully it yields strong rewards for them soon. I’d love to see a Jamison for Marion deal go down.