The NBA Trade Deadline is coming up on Feb. 5, and players are already starting to change teams.<\/p>\n
The Boston Celtics are in an interesting position this year. While they were expected to be deadline sellers coming into the season, they\u2019ve wildly surpassed expectations, going 31-18 and ranking second in net rating<\/a>.<\/p>\n Accordingly, the Celtics are more likely to be buyers<\/a> than sellers this week given their place in the standings. However, they could still look to offload a player or two to clear up some payroll and open a spot for Jayson Tatum\u2019s expected return.<\/p>\n Given the rumors and uncertainty, the trade deadline is always a stressful and anxious time for players, coaches and executives alike. Anything can happen.<\/p>\n Prior to Sunday\u2019s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Joe Mazzulla revealed how he\u2019s handling it this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n Joe Mazzulla emphasizes adhering to routine when asked about handling the days leading up to the trade deadline:<\/p>\n \u201cYou just stick to the process every day.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/Kav4aJiviC<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) February 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cYou just stick to the process every day, what gives you a chance to win that particular day,\u201d Mazzulla said during his pregame press conference. \u201cMaximize the day. Is it a game day? Is it an off day? Is it a day where we gotta come in and watch film? Is it a day that we gotta practice? You just have to understand what day you\u2019re at and make sure you put your focus on that.\u201d<\/p>\n That type of focus should serve Mazzulla and his players well over the next few days. After destroying the Bucks<\/a> on Sunday, they\u2019re off on Monday before traveling to Texas for a back-to-back against the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets. Then they\u2019re off on Thursday, the day of the deadline.<\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n Mazzulla doesn\u2019t get distracted easily, so look for him to stay locked in and keep his team prepared over the next few days as they look to get off to a strong start in February.<\/p>\n \t