The NBA trade deadline is here, marking the unofficial start to the stretch run on the hardwood.
This certainly is an interesting deadline given the new playoff format and how many teams could convince themselves they still have a chance to make the postseason field. For instance, there are just five teams in the entire league who are more than three games out of a playoff spot as of Thursday morning.
That doesn’t mean those bubble teams — many of them at least 10 games under .500 — won’t be looking to move pieces before the 3 p.m. ET deadline, though.
Another potential roadblock to deals, of course, is the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s impossible to say how that might affect things because, well, we’ve never done this before.
All that being said, there still should be some movement Thursday, and we’ll be tracking all the latest news and rumors in the live blog below.
3:54 p.m.: All right, there will be a test later, but here’s the (hopefully) final details of the three-team trade involving the Celtics, Bulls and Magic.
3:39 p.m.: Even more detail on the Celtics’ moves. Sounds like they’ll also get 7-foot-2 center Luke Kornet in their deal with the Bulls.
3:37 p.m.: Not much new information here, but something we hadn’t realized or considered from the Celtics’ standpoint is the luxury tax.
3:34 p.m.: So, it’s looking like the third team in the Celtics-Bulls trade is the Magic, with whom Boston reportedly made a deal earlier in the day, acquiring Evan Fournier for a pair of second-round picks.
According to The Athletic’s Jared Weiss and Joshua Robbins, Celtics guard Jeff Teague technically has been traded to Orlando, but he’ll be waived.
3:26 p.m.: There appear to be a lot of moving parts in this Celtics-Bulls trade, including a third team.
3:18 p.m.: We heard rumblings of this earlier, but it’s Mo Wagner who will be on his way to Boston in exchange for Daniel Theis.
3:16 p.m.: The Celtics aren’t done, per Adrian Wojnarowski.
3:11 p.m.: LaMarcus Aldridge also is staying put, according to The New York Times’ Marc Stein.
However, Aldridge probably will have a new address soon, as he’s a likely buyout who could be headed for South Beach.
3:08 p.m.: And there it is. After laying in the weeds all day, Pat Riley and the Miami Heat — thought to be all over Kyle Lowry — strike to get Victor Oladipo out of Houston.
That said, this comes as no surprise: Lowry is staying with the only team he’s known.
3:05 p.m.: The Hornets, right in the thick of the playoff race, look like they’re boosting their backcourt with Brad Wanamaker.
3:01 p.m.: The 3 p.m. deadline has come and gone, but deals might still trickle out, including the Celtics’ apparent pursuit of Mo Wagner.
2:59 p.m.: Once the deadline hits, attention will turn to the buyout market, and there will be a big (literally) player available, per Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes.
2:58 p.m.: Lonzo Ball is staying in The Big Easy.
2:55 p.m.: Right before the buzzer, the Mavericks get a shooter.
2:30 p.m.: Very interesting deal between the Clippers and Hawks.
2:20 p.m.: Rajon Rondo appears to be on the move (again), and he appears to be on his way to LA (again).
2:07 p.m.: Things have been awfully quiet the last hour or so, but with an hour to go, are the Raptors gearing up to make a move? They’re reportedly trading Matt Thomas to Utah, and as The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, that might be to facilitate a much bigger move.
12:55 p.m.: George Hill in, Danny Green out in the City of Brotherly Love?
12:45 p.m.: The floodgates are open.
First, we’ve got George Hill on his way to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Elsewhere, it looks like the Raptors are about to start their sell-off. Whether they also move Kyle Lowry is one of the biggest stories of the day.
12:28 p.m.: If the Magic are very good in two or three years, we’re gonna look back on this day as a big moment in their rebuild. Here’s the reported return for Aaron Gordon in the Denver deal.
12:25 p.m.: The Bulls are using deadline day to continue their rebuild, apparently on the verge of finalizing their second transaction of the day.
12:20 p.m.: Interesting thought here from longtime Celtics reporter Mark Murphy on Boston’s pursuit of Aaron Gordon and why it might have fallen apart.
12:17 p.m.: It doesn’t look like the Celtics will be double-dipping on Magic players, as Aaron Gordon is on his way to Denver, according to Shams Charania.
11:27 a.m.: The Celtics, it appears, are actually doing something. Obviously, we’ll have much more on NESN.com as that story develops.
11 a.m.: We’ve got a big ol’ blockbuster to start the day. Less than an hour after Adrian Wojnarowski noted it would take a lot for Orlando to trade Nikola Vucevic, the Magic did just that.
And they certainly did get a lot for him.
10:35 a.m.: It might be a big day for the future of the Orlando Magic.
10:08 a.m.: Here’s the return on the JaVale McGee deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
10 a.m.: The Cleveland Cavaliers are unpacking some assets, and the Denver Nuggets get some frontcourt help, according to Shams Charania.
9:45 a.m.: It sounds like there is quite the market developing for Raptors guard Kyle Lowry. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported the Lakers, Sixers and Heat all have talked with Toronto about acquiring Lowry.
Lowry would be a massive acquisition for any of those teams. He’s a battle-tested gamer who adds veteran leadership the second he steps in the building, and all three of those teams have championship aspirations. He’s an All-Star guard who can shoot and play defense. What’s not to like about him?
9:10 a.m.: Interesting insight from John Hollinger, who says the floodgates could open, if and when Aaron Gordon and Kyle Lowry are moved.
8:25 a.m.: One of the bigger names who warrants watching on deadline day is Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon. The Celtics have been linked to him for what feels like months, but Danny Ainge might have some competition, per ESPN’s Zach Lowe (via ESPN subscription).
“The Rockets and the Magic have had serious talks on a potential Gordon deal, league sources said,” Lowe wrote in a trade deadline preview for ESPN+. “The precise terms under discussion are not 100 percent clear, but best I can read the tea leaves, Houston would have to send out significant draft compensation — multiple picks — as part of any proposed Gordon deal.”
8 a.m. ET: Just catching up on the overnight news, the Kings and Pistons made a relatively minor trade, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
