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The funny thing about the upcoming resumption of the 2019-20 NBA campaign is that it might not even happen even though it was officially announced.
On Tuesday, commissioner Adam Silver said that nothing is really guaranteed here, so it's entirely possible that we may not finish this season at all.
So basically, everything is off-kilter right now, which is not surprising given the current state of the world.
For that reason, there are some who are questioning the legitimacy of the potential playoffs, because it honestly will feel weird if and when a 2020 NBA champion is crowned.
But will that team deserve an asterisk?
It's really unfair, because no matter what we say or think, the 2020 champion (again, if there is one) will certainly have its share of detractors. Even if a little star does not go next to the club's name in the record book, you will have people who will sneer at the validity of the champion.
And you know what? That is not an indefensible position.
Let's face it: we haven't seen basketball in three-and-a-half months. Teams that were in a rhythm back in mid-March have had their momentum completely shattered.
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Not only that, but this postseason is just going to be weird. A neutral location. No fans. An unorthodox play-in tournament to determine the eighth seed in both conferences.
What the heck is going on here? Can we really crown an NBA champion under these circumstances?
While Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo made a fairly salient point in calling this “the toughest championship” that a team could possibly win, it also rings somewhat hollow.
Think about it: you work your tail off all season long to secure home-court advantage, and then when the time comes, you don't even have it. It will actually create too much balance. You aren't supposed to have that much parity in the playoffs. Teams are supposed to have an edge as a reward for how they played during the regular season.
So while the current situation may certainly make things more difficult, it's also just flat out odd.
I won't go as far to say that an asterisk should be stamped on whoever wins the NBA title this season, because that isn't for me to say. I don't think it's fair for any of us to make that type of declaration when these players are busting their butts during some of the most trying times we have seen in America in decades.
But that doesn't mean a large faction of fans won't still disregard the champion or at least include a “yeah but…” when discussing it.
It's a shame this had to happen. We were truly in the middle of one of the most intriguing seasons in quite some time, as there was no clear-cut favorite and the playoffs were setting up to be fiercely competitive.
And I guess they still might be. But there is no doubt that the 2020 NBA postseason is not going to feel the same, and whoever wins the championship will get the side eye from a whole lot of people.
