During a normal year, the weeks leading up to the trade deadline can get tense. Multiple issues are going on simultaneously. There are games, injuries, media ops, and whatever monkey wrenches life chooses to throw at teams.
But this season is different. The three-week gap ushered in by the Olympic break has allowed teams to catch their breath and regroup. As of now, players and executives not participating in the Olympics will have a mandatory break.
Everyone will be eligible to report back to their teams on February 17. But just because some players will hit the beach or take a much-deserved break doesn’t mean the entire league will shut down.