A new development has emerged that will potentially have a huge impact on the current NBA season. Thanks to some very thorough researchers who likely had too much time on their hands, a specific rule from the league’s bylaws has been revealed, which clearly states that if this season ends up being cancelled — a possibility that is becoming more and more feasible as the weeks go by — then it appears that the Los Angeles Lakers will be declared as this year’s champions.

The proof via Josiah Henderson:

NBA Bylaws 6.23: If the season ends prior to April 1, the team with the best record in the year the NBA Finals will be held shall be crowned the undisputed champion.

We are unsure why this rule has only been unearthed now, but is clear that there is already pre-set arrangement in the case that the league opts not to resume the current season. Having this type of contingency just makes a lot of sense, as it anticipates any unforeseen event or circumstance that might lead to the cancellation of the season.

Sadly, the current coronavirus pandemic appears to be the unforeseen event that might just cause the cancellation of the 2019-20 campaign. The number of cases continues to rise in the U.S., and while the recovery rate remains to be extremely high, risking the health and welfare of NBA players in the midst of this dreadful pandemic just isn’t smart.

To be clear, the rule states that the team that will be crowned as champions will be the team with the best record since February 1st. The Milwaukee Bucks may lead the NBA with a 53-12 record on the season, but it is actually the Lakers who have the best record since February. Since February, Milwaukee currently holds a 12-5 record, while L.A. stands at 13-3. This would mean that the Lakers will be crowned as the 2019-20 champions, handing LeBron his fourth NBA title in his career.

April Fools, yo! It’s due time for a good laugh during these trying times.