It's one thing to hear fans say it — Lakers fans know this is not a championship team. They've known for a while that this was a good but flawed roster, one not built to maximize the strengths of Luka Doncic, one not deep enough to absorb the loss of Austin Reaves for an extended time (for example), one that is not a genuine threat to the teams at the top of the West. Trust me as someone who lives in Southern California (and whose friends are largely Lakers fans), they get it.

It's another to hear LeBron James say the quiet part out loud.

Which he did on Monday night after a game where both teams were missing their MVP candidate — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and Luka Doncic (hamstring) — and the depth of the Thunder roster got them the 119-110 win, with seven players scoring in double figures, three off the bench.

"You want me to compare us to them? That's a championship team right there. We're not. We can't sustain energy and effort for 48 minutes, and they can. That's why they won a championship."

The issue with the Lakers is clear: They have the 22nd-ranked defense in the NBA. It's not just one thing, the Lakers are 24th in the league in halfcourt defense and 21st in transition defense (stats via Cleaning the Glass). They lack perimeter defenders (especially who can shoot), and Deandre Ayton is not the future at the five. While the Lakers' offense is solid (11th in the league), they lack shooting, they are 23rd in the league in the percentage of points generated on 3-pointers.
LeBron isn't saying anything everyone didn't know, but when LeBron is saying it, the statement carries some weight.

Two other things remain true as well.

First, this team is still a tough out in the first round of the playoffs if healthy — Doncic, LeBron and Reaves are going to score points and thrive in the slower, halfcourt game of the playoffs. Doncic will hit big shots. They can win games, and if things break right (with matchups and health), they can win a round.

Second, changes are coming this summer. To the roster, and to the front office. And that likely includes the end of the LeBron James era with the Lakers.