The NBA trade deadline for the 2025–26 season ends today, Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

🏀 Quick Scoop: When does the NBA trade deadline end?

  • Date: Thursday, February 5, 2026
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. ET (Eastern Time)
  • After that time, no more in-season trades can be made until the offseason window opens again.

In other words, once the clock hits 3:00 p.m. ET , all the Woj/Shams bombs you’re waiting for have to be either official or at least submitted to the league office.

How the deadline works

  • Teams can negotiate and agree to trades right up until the deadline, but deals must be submitted to the league by 3 p.m. ET.
  • Some trades may become public a bit after 3 p.m. ET because of processing and reporting delays, but they still count if filed in time.
  • After the deadline:
    • Teams can still sign free agents , including players who get bought out.
    • They cannot trade players again until the league’s next trade window.

Example: In past seasons, official trackers have shown a wave of finalized trades posted shortly after the deadline even though the window had technically closed.

Latest buzz and context (2026)

  • This year’s deadline has been hyped with star names in rumors, including big pieces like Giannis Antetokounmpo being discussed as potential trade targets.
  • Major outlets and trackers are framing Feb. 5, 3 p.m. ET as a can't-miss moment on the NBA calendar because many teams see it as a pivot point between contending and rebuilding.
  • Fans are closely following:
    • Which teams are buyers loading up for the playoffs.
    • Which teams are sellers flipping veterans for picks and young players.

Mini FAQ

Q: What time is that in other time zones?

  • 3 p.m. ET = 12 p.m. PT, 2 p.m. CT, 9 p.m. CET (approximate conversions for fan reference).

Q: Can trades still “break” after the deadline?

  • Yes, but only if they were submitted before 3 p.m. ET ; news and details may leak out later.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.