I see both sides of it, I like what you say. But I also think extending the deadline makes for some potential blockbusters to be made in the league.
I think that's part of the problem, it makes it too easy. The later you push the trade deadline, the less of a decision it becomes to buy or sell. In the extreme case, if the trade deadline was indeed the end of the regular season, sellers are essentially trading everything they don't need to keep, and buyers already know they're in the playoffs. It's not even tanking at that point given you aren't going to lose any matchups with a depleted squad. The further in advance it is, the more people you have thinking they can make the playoffs.
Imagine, at the end of the season, if the 9th best team in the league could just sell their 10th, 11th and 12th best players for minimal returns without thinking twice. Doesn't sit right with me. Basically all of the playoff teams will buy all of their depth at the deadline for minimal prices, because you're looking at 12 teams selling good players to your competitors who are willing to. Turns the playoffs into a complete crapshoot.
It's like that time TFG won his championship. That was the season we had all the trouble with people making really chintzy trades with keeper level players and promises to return them in the offseason. You want to make buying a little more difficult- make it really sting. Otherwise winning feels cheap.
