ORLANDO, Fla. -- The year anniversary of the Cavaliers' trade for Kyle Korver is cause for both looking back and contemplation of what move or moves the team will make this season to upgrade its roster, if any.

As part of the trade that brought Korver to Cleveland and sent Mike Dunleavy, Mo Williams, and the Cavs' 2019 first round pick to the Atlanta Hawks last Jan. 7, the Cavs created a $4.8 million trade exception that's good through today.

The way a trade exception works is, essentially, the Cavs could trade for a player whose salary fits into that $4.8 million hole simply by taking the player and not sending anything out in return. They can't use the trade exception and another player to trade for someone with a bigger salary.

Thus, the Cavs have no intention of using the trade exception. Their roster is already full at 15, the payroll is nearly $30 million over the $99 million cap, and to trade for a player using the exception they would have to cut someone, which would cost millions in luxury tax penalties.

The NBA's trade deadline of Feb. 8 is a month away, and the Cavs have been relatively quiet over the past several weeks, sources said. While they believe they could improve the roster, they've been waiting to see how Isaiah Thomas responded to months of rehab on his injured right hip (early returns have been stellar).

If Thomas is OK, the Cavs could consider other areas for improvement, such as potentially a rim protector or possibly a shooter. They have some trade assets, such as Brooklyn's No. 1 pick in 2018 and their own, and perhaps a tradable contract or two.

Cleveland has been most often mentioned as a possible suitor for DeAndre Jordan, the Clippers' star center and defensive stalwart. But rumors don't often become reality.

Korver, 36, was by far the Cavs' biggest roster move last season, trading for one of the game's greatest 3-point shooters while J.R. Smith was out for three months with a broken thumb. He was not on anyone's rumor mill radar as headed to the Cavs before the trade.

Korver is averaging 10.3 points and shooting .462 from 3-point range since joining Cleveland. In Saturday's 131-127 win over Orlando, Korver's lone 3 tied him with Paul Pierce for fourth place in NBA history.

The Cavs' bench is versatile and dangerous in many ways, with Korver as a key component. They can play him at closing time in the fourth quarters, too, not only as a razor-sharp shooter catching passes from LeBron James but also someone who contributes as a team defender.

Korver's time with the Cavs has not been without bumps. It took the team about a month to figure out how to use him properly, and he's struggled to get shots and make them against the Golden State Warriors (in the Finals he missed a wide-open 3 late in Game 3 that still haunts him, and on Christmas he struggled too) -- the Cavs' biggest rival.

Also, Korver was Cleveland's most expensive free agent signing last summer, re-upping here on a three-year, $22 million deal. He told cleveland.com he was just remarking to his wife the other day that his Cleveland anniversary was near, and learned he'd be traded while the Hawks were in Orlando, of all places.

"Yeah it's been a year," Korver said. "I don't know if I have my thoughts all the way together yet. I am really grateful that it happened. For me to be at this stage of my career, and being around these guys and playing what we're playing for, being on a veteran team, it's all anyone could ask for.

"All you can ask for are opportunities and you go out there and try to make the most of them. And I feel like, for me, this is a great opportunity."