NBA Trade Deadlines

[Robert Bradley]

I'l looking to compile a list of NBA trade deadline dates.

here's what I have so far if anyone has anything to add or has any corrections -

1947 - n/a
1948 - n/a
1949 - n/a
10Feb50
1951 - n/a
1952 - n/a
1953 - n/a
1954 - n/a
1955 - n/a
1956 - n/a
1957 - n/a
15Feb58
15Feb59
15Feb60
1961 - n/a
1962 - n/a
15Feb62
1Feb64
1Feb65
1966 - n/a
1967 - n/a
1Feb68
1Feb69
1Feb70
1Feb71
1Feb72
1Feb73
1Feb74
1Feb75
1Feb76
1Feb77
1Feb78
15Feb79
15Feb80
15Feb81
16Feb82
15Feb83
15Feb84
15Feb85
15Feb86
15Feb87
25Feb88
23Feb89
22Feb90
21Feb91
20Feb92
25Feb93
24Feb94
23Feb95
22Feb96
20Feb97
19Feb98
11Mar99
24Feb00
22Feb01
21Feb02
20Feb03
19Feb04
24Feb05
23Feb06
22Feb07
21Feb08
19Feb09
18Feb10
24Feb11
15Mar12
21Feb13

[MCT]

I found an article in the Boston Globe confirming that the trade deadline in 1981 was February 15, the same as other years in that era:

___________________________________________________________

NO TRADES BREWING CELTICS; [THIRD Edition]
Bob Ryan Globe Staff. Boston Globe (pre-1997 Fulltext). Boston, Mass.: Feb 15, 1981. pg. 1
Copyright Boston Globe Newspaper Feb 15, 1981

"I'm sure," said Utah forward Allan Bristow, "that the Celtics felt like they were running in mud when they played us." He was referring to the way the Jazz slowed down the tempo Friday night en route to an upset 104-89 triumph over the Celtics.

By 4:15 p.m. today the Celtics may feel as if they had been strapped into one of those NASA contraptions that measures a prospective astronaut's ability to withstand G pressure. When you play Doug Moe's Denver Nuggets, the last thing you need worry about is a running-in-mud feeling.

This is the high-scoring team which began the week averaging a league- leading 119 ppg, the team which rang up an astounding 162 points Friday against Portland. The Nuggets have one play, which is to get the ball past midcourt and fire.

With the trade deadline at midnight, coach Bill Fitch says nothing is brewing. His desire for guard help is well-known and long- established.

He does say there is nothing to the M.L. Carr-for-Randy Smith rumor, for two reasons: "One, we've never discussed it. Two, (Cleveland owner) Ted Stepien says he won't take anyone over 25, or draft choices, for Smith." What Cleveland would want for Smith, therefore, is Rick Robey or Kevin McHale. Fat chance.

The Celtics played an atrocious offensive game in Salt Lake City, shooting 41 percent from the floor, including a dismal 26 percent (11-39) during the last 19 minutes of the first half. Of increasing concern is the offensive impotence of Cedric Maxwell (7 points, for a three-game trip total of 26 points, and a five-game total of 40) and Chris Ford (1 for 7 against Utah; 8 for 34 and 17 points in his last four games). Throw in a 6-for-19 evening for Robert Parish and Larry Bird's ejection with 21 seconds left in the third period for fighting, and it's not difficult to understand how the Celtics scored just 89 points.

Of the fight with Bristow, Bird will say nothing for publication. But Fitch will. "You could see it coming," he fumed. "That's the oldest trick in the book, a 12-pointer taking a 25-pointer out of the game. You could see this coming, the way the game was going. It's a shame, when a guy like Larry Bird, who has been nothing but help to this league, has to go out there 82 times with people taking a shot at him. If you're asking me if I'm siding with my guy, the answer is, You're damn right.' "

Utah coach Tom Nissalke said it would be foolish for either coach to comment on the matter without seeing the films. Bristow said he felt the entire Celtic team, and Bird in particular, was "frustrated" by Utah's style of play.

The players each face possible fine and suspension pending a league investigation.

[MCT]

16Feb82

In 1982, the 15th was the third Monday in February, which is President's Day. That may have been the reason the deadline was the 16th that year (this was only year during the period when the trade deadline was fixed on February 15 where it fell on this holiday, although it fell on a Sunday in both 1981 and 1987).

22Feb86

In Robert's original e-mail, this was the only year between the late '70s and 1987 (aside from 1982, discussed above) where the trade deadline is shown as any date other than February 15. I found a Boston Globe article from Sunday 2/9/86, however, indicating that the trade deadline was the following Saturday, which would be February 15. Frank Marousek's transaction archive also does not show any trades in 1986 after February 15. This makes me wonder if the deadline may have actually been the usual February 15 that year.

Starting in 1988, the date of the deadline has changed from year to year, but it always been on a Thursday. According to Larry Coon's Salary Cap FAQ, the trade deadline has been defined as the 16th Thursday of the season since at least 1999. I assume that it has been governed by the same or a similar provision all the way back to '88.

Since the late '80s change in the way the deadline is set, the deadline has fallen later than it did under the previous February 15 rule, typically by about 5-10 days. This year's deadline (February 18) is the earliest on the calendar the deadline has fallen since the last year of the February 15 rule (1987).

[Robert Bradley]

that's for the correction for 1986. does anyone have anything for 1973 and before?

[Robert Bradley]

updated with a few more that i found.

apparently the trade deadline was established as february 15th early on before being moved to february 1st in the early-to-mid-60s.

[Robert Bradley]

Updated with a couple more dates.

[Robert Bradley]

Here are some early trade deadline deals that I found (an NBA.com listing going back to 1987 can be found here - http://www.nba.com/2013/history/02/20/t ... index.html) -

16FEB53
BLT trades Don Boven and Fred Scolari to FTW in exchange for Jack Kerris, Ralph O’Brien and cash

15FEB58
STL trades Frank Selvy to MPL in exchange for the rights to Dick Broushka and the rights to Terry Brand

1FEB65
SFW trades Wayne Hightower to BAL for cash

1FEB70
ATL trades a player to be named later [DET receives John Arthurs on 3Jun70] and cash to DET in exchange for Walt Bellamy
BAL trades Bob Quick and a 1970 second-round draft choice to DET in exchange for Eddie Miles

1FEB71
CLE trades McCoy McLemore to MIL in exchange for Gary Freeman and a 1971 second-round draft choice

1FEB73
ATL trades Don May to PHI for future considerations [ATL receives Dale Schlueter on 18Apr73]

1FEB74
BUF trades Kevin Kunnert and Dave Wohl to HOU in exchange for Matt Guokas and Jack Marin

1FEB75
KCK trades Ken Durrett to PHI in exchange for future considerations
NOJ trades Jim Barnett and Neal Walk to NYK in exchange for Henry Bibby, a 1975 first-round draft choice and cash
KCK trades Nate Williams to NOJ in exchange for Rick Adelman and Ollie Johnson

1FEB76
BUF trades Garfield Heard and a 1976 second-round draft choice to PHO in exchange for John Shumate

1FEB77
ATL trades Claude Terry to BUF in exchange for cash
IND trades a 1977 first-round draft choice and future considerations [IND receives Darnell Hillman on 11Apr77] to NYN in exchange for John Williamson

1FEB78
BOS trades Fred Saunders to NOJ in exchange for a 1978 second-round draft choice
DEN trades Jim Price and a 1979 first-round draft choice to DET in exchange for Ralph Simpson

15FEB79
CLE trades Jim Brewer to DET for future considerations [CLE receives Earl Tatum and cash on 12Apr79]

15FEB80
CLE trades Butch Lee and a 1982 first-round draft choice to LAL in exchange for Don Ford and a 1980 first-round draft choice
NJN trades Rich Kelley to PHO in exchange for a 1982 first-round draft choice and a 1983 second-round draft choice

16FEB82
CLE trades Reggie Johnson to KCK in exchange for Cliff Robinson
CLE trades Kenny Carr and Bill Laimbeer to DET in exchange for Phil Hubbard, Paul Mokeski, a 1982 first-round draft choice and a 1982 second-round draft choice
KCK trade John Lambert to SAS in exchange for a 1984 third-round draft choice and cash

15FEB83
ATL trades a 1984 second-round draft choice and cash to GSW in exchange for Rickey Brown
CHI trades Dwight Jones to LAL in exchange for a 1985 second-round draft choice
PHI trades Russ Schoene, a 1983 first-round draft choice and a 1984 second-round draft choice to IND in exchange for Clemon Johnson

15FEB84
CHI trades Reggie Theus to KCK in exchange for Steve Johnson, a 1984 second-round draft choice and two 1985 second-round draft choices

15FEB86
SAS trades Jeff Cook and Marc Iavaroni to UTH in exchange for Jeff Wilkins