As the NBA’s trade deadline nears, NBA team executives have noticed a somewhat abnormal trade market over the past few weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic impacting the league and positive cases, contact tracing and injuries making teams pause to fully understand their rosters.
“The last thing you want to do is panic,” one high-ranking team executive said.
“The season has played a part,” another team executive said. “So much time is spent on protocols and roster and injury management that we don’t know exactly what we have yet.”
So far, the Nets, Pacers, Rockets and Cavaliers have completed a four-team trade involving James Harden, Victor Oladipo, Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen. The Cavaliers traded 2019 first-round pick Kevin Porter Jr. to the Rockets on Jan. 21. Then on Feb. 7, the Knicks and Pistons completed the third most significant trade of the season, with New York acquiring Derrick Rose for Dennis…
