LeBron James is no longer that best player in the NBA. There, I said it. But the Los Angeles Lakers star certainly thinks he still is, or should at least be in the running.

ESPN recently released results from a poll of anonymous NBA executives and scouts, asking them a handful of questions about the upcoming season. One question in particular struck a chord with LeBron James himself – Who is the best player in the NBA heading into the 2021-22 season?

The poll resulted in a tie between Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant and Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo. The result isn't necessarily surprising, nor is it definitive with just 10 total voters surveyed. But it was significant enough to draw a reaction from King James.

Added bulletin board material certainly won't hurt LeBron or the Lakers' chances this upcoming season, so that's all well and good. But if we're being honest, to even suggest that LeBron James has any claim as the best player in the NBA at this very moment is indefensible. We can try to pinpoint a handful of different stats, but let's keep things simple.

The biggest case against LeBron James would definitely be on the defensive end. The Lakers star is defying father time as he enters his age-19 season, putting up superstar numbers across the board. But he's clearly lost a step on the defensive end compared to his athletic prime. Yes, the Lakers have been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA these past two seasons, but a lot of that has to do with the personnel around him and the defensive wizardry of coach Frank Vogel.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, is arguably the most terrifying defender in the NBA. While Rudy Gobert won the most recent Defensive Player of the Year plum, the Bucks star terrorized his opponents all the way to the NBA Finals. Just rewatch the Bucks star's block on Deandre Ayton and you'll have all the evidence that you need. LeBron James probably doesn't make this defensive stop at this point in his career.

Kevin Durant, meanwhile, found himself in the exact same situation as LeBron James did during these playoffs. With their star teammates hobbled with injury, KD and Bron were tasked to carry the entire offensive load for their squad facing the Bucks and Suns respectively, the two teams that would eventually represent their conference in the NBA Finals.

KD responded with a 49-point Game 5 and then nearly carried his team in Game 7 with 48 points had it not been for his big toe on the line.

LeBron James, on the other hand, did all he could for the Lakers in their first-round matchup against the Suns. But King James posted arguably the worst playoff averages of his NBA career in six games last season facing nearly identical circumstances as Kevin Durant.

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If you're going the best player in the NBA at this very moment, you need to be able to get to the level KD and Giannis reached, on both ends. LeBron wasn't able to do that.

This is not a knock on LeBron James whatsoever. The fact that he's still one of the best players in the NBA at this point in his career is a testament to how hard he works to stay in shape. But as another year goes by, it gets harder and hard for him to keep up, and there's nothing wrong with that. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant are better than him right now.

If he can prove otherwise this coming season when he turns 37, and potentially win the NBA title in the process, then LeBron James will truly be on a different plane of existence.