The answer to this again is likely broadcast considerations. Specifically how the calendar falls in terms of days of the week.The real reason why it's compressed is because they added 7 days to the season for unknown reasons. I even submitted it as a question to 32 thoughts and their thought line to see if Jeff and Elliotte cared enough to find out why this happened, the answer was no.
2022-23 was a 185 day season (which was always the case pre-COVID and in non-Olympic years) and there were some rescheduled games on day 186.
2023-24 was a 192 day season
If they had continued with their 186 day season model of years past, the Cup final ends on June 17th or so and this thread isn't a thing.
Also trades happening during the Cup Final should not be viewed as a negative at all.
ESPN has Masters rights and part of its contract with Augusta National calls for replays in primetime on Thursday and Friday. ESPN and TNT want the season to end on a Wednesday/Thursday so the final week of the season can't fall on Masters week like previously. Masters is the first Thursday after the first Sunday of April. This year April started on Monday so the Masters wasn't until April 11 (in 2023 it was April 6 start). That added a week to the season.
When NBC had the rights MLB and the Masters weren't a consideration, so you got a pretty consistent Memorial Day start to the final. With ESPN it is a more crowded broadcast calendar and you have to work with the timeslots that are available. The two day travel break during the final has been in place for awhile going back to when the NBA changed its finals format and the NHL followed. They have to work with the NBA on scheduling the Final as they share many buildings (we were two Stars wins from the same building hosting both championships). As mentioned many time here the Final is scheduled a year in advanced and the dates are held in every building (or they have the buy out the days if the teams make it).