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The 2021-22 NBA trade deadline takes place February 10. All deals for the 2021-22 season must be completed by this date. The deadline expires at 3:00 p.m. ET, at which time all deals must be processed by the league office. There are occasionally deals which will be announced after the deadline passes, which means the teams involved have filed the trade with the league office ahead of the 3:00 p.m. ET deadline.
The trade deadline is usually when contending teams attempt to gain a leg up on the competition, creating somewhat of an arms race at the top of the standings. Teams at the bottom usually look to deal their best players they won’t be able to keep for a long-term deal in exchange for most cost-friendly assets. Some teams to monitor at this year’s deadline are the 76ers, Kings, Pacers and Pistons, as they’ve been in rumors all season long.