The NBA trade deadline is near, giving teams one final opportunity this season to adjust their rosters. With several notable names circulating in rumors and a handful of deals already completed, attention now turns to the league’s official cutoff.
Date and Time for 2026 NBA Trade Deadline
The 2026 NBA Trade Deadline is set for Thursday, Feb. 5, at 3 p.m. ET.
That time is absolute. Every deal must be submitted to the league office before the clock strikes 3 p.m. Once it does, the trade market closes until the offseason. No extensions or last-minute exceptions are allowed.
So, that’s the NBA’s pressure point — the final chance for contenders to load up and for fringe teams to decide what they really want from the season as their front offices pick a direction.
Last season proved just how volatile deadline day can be. Luka Dončić’s stunning exit from Dallas to Los Angeles wasn’t just a trade; it reset the league. While there’s no confirmed blockbuster on that level this year, a single move involving Giannis Antetokounmpo would instantly reshape NBA conversations.
Other major names hovering around the rumor mill include Anthony Davis, Jonathan Kuminga, Michael Porter Jr., Ja Morant, and Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks.
Live coverage of trade deadline activity will be widely available throughout Thursday afternoon. NBA.com’s official trade tracker and transaction page will publish all league-approved trades as they’re announced.
ESPN is expected to shift into extended deadline coverage on Thursday afternoon. Shams Charania, ESPN’s senior NBA insider, will be at the center of the reporting, with shows like “NBA Today” and “NBA Countdown” pivoting into wall-to-wall trade discussion as the 3 p.m. ET deadline approaches — the network’s typical playbook on deadline day.
Trades Completed Ahead of the Deadline
The NBA trade deadline represents the final surge of player movement, but several notable deals have already been completed ahead of Thursday. The buzz started with Trae Young being traded from Atlanta to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert on Jan. 7.
More recently, on Feb. 1, Atlanta and Portland completed a deal that sent Vit Krejci to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Duop Reath and future second-round picks in 2027 and 2030.
A three-team trade on Jan. 31 saw Sacramento acquire De’Andre Hunter, Cleveland land Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis, and Chicago receive Dario Šarić along with second-round picks in 2027 and 2029.
Even with those moves already on the board, executives around the league expect the real action to come in the final hours. Speculation continues around names like Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine as well, while Giannis remains the looming figure who could redefine the deadline with one decision.
By 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, the noise will stop, and the NBA’s playoff picture will look very different from what it does right now.
