The idea of the trade deadline in professional sports is always a more intriguing concept in theory than it is in practice.
Most teams are loath to wave the white flag on a season and unwilling to give up precious future assets when chasing after potentially marginal gains. The big trades involving superstars—with some rare exceptions in the NBA and, maybe, the NFL this year—are often pushed to the offseason when there can be a better assessment of the roster and more immediate payoff for any draft capital acquired.
