Part 8/10:
As the clock nears midnight Eastern Time, the question looms: will there be a deal before the winter meetings wind down? The prospect seems slim given the typical pace of negotiations late in the evening, especially with many team executives and agents likely preparing to call it a day. Still, hope remains alive that there could be a surprise announcement—perhaps even during the night—though the consensus is that things will quiet down, with most big moves expected to be announced earlier in the week.