The NBA’s restart plan is certainly unorthodox, but given the traditional playoff format ahead, it’s hard to argue that the 2020 champion will be anything but legitimate. The champion will still need to win 16 games, and there will be a true—albeit imperfect—warm-up period before the 2020 postseason. Any talk of an asterisk feels largely disingenuous.
With a true postseason in place, many legacies could receive a major boost in 2020. Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James can both secure a Finals MVP with their third team. James Harden could get the monkey off his back. Even reaching the conference finals should cool talk of a breakup in Philadelphia.