Jackson Ayorinde

Nomadic basketball reporter. Lover of cigarettes and manual typewriters.

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

It's early yet, but some surprises: Chicago 3-0 and leading the Central, Spurs 3-1, Houston 0-3 and Washington 0-4, Clippers 2-2 and in 2nd place in the Pacific

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

Still not used to the CSL HQ moved to OKC from Detroit. I keep thinking fired Thunder GM TJ is the new commissioner and I ponder what bizzaro world we've found ourselves in

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

Other thoughts: Miami is the perfect place for Poku. No pressure for him to be anything and if he flames out, oh well - Miami still has two championships from the Simmons era and at 13, solid starters tend to be the ceiling of picked players

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

My least favorite pick: OO at 5 to the Blazers. Massive overdraft (most had him late lottery), doesn't fit the team, and Cole Anthony was right there as the alpha scorer Portland desperately needs. It's another year of pain for Blazers, who don't own 1st nxt yr

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

My favorite pick so far: Preston at 14 going to the Lakers. Perfect complement to Bowman, and the Celtics coveted the Buckeye PG, too, so you know that was smart drafting by the Purple and Gold.

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

After the Blazers had the biggest shocker of the draft with the 5th overall selection and the lengthy negotiations by Orlando, I'm hearing Magic and Clippers picks will come quite quickly

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

There's one player I see an absolute perfect fit for the Blazers - a team I'm intimately familiar with. It'll be interesting to see if they take him

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

Also, we have our first draft day trade. Wizards send 14 to Lakers for 19, 42, Fall Faye. Nice bit of business for Purple and Gold. I smell more movement from WSH, so it's a wait-and-see there

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

Smart, smart move by the Cavaliers here. They didn't panic after their guy was taken, and they stuck to the board in picking up the safest player in the draft, who has RotY writ large on him

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

Small shock with the #2 overall pick. Most experts had him going lower in the Top 5 rather than Top 3. I'm hearing the Cavaliers are absolutely crushed, as that was the player they most coveted. Good reminder that we "experts" /= GMs

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

The expected #1 pick goes off the board. I'm behind on evaluating this class, so I'm largely reading the work of other writers. I think the Hawks is where things potentially get interesting. Hearing there's a ton of talent in this draft

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

Typical Jestorball makes its return. The GM procrastinates to the last day, then literally falls asleep and wakes up just as the scouts and interviews are being run. Sources say the Clippers aren't panicking however

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

Who had me going back to LA on your 2029 Bingo cards? Glad to be returning to the sun - Portland is cold and miserable. Rains too damn much. Like the tears of all the Blazers fans when they forever fall in the lottery

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

Nice present for the new Pacers GM - Murray back on the best deal of FA to date by far. Word to the wise - or at least the Lakers and Bulls - don't get cute when you're trying to steal another team's FA

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

For all the hubub over this year's FA class (and rightfully so), there's a glaring area of weakness at SF. Cam Johnson, Hamilton, Nassir Little are all excellent, but it thins out quickly after that - lot of aged vets on their last gasp

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

SAS in that max space category. Apologies for missing it in initial thread

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

KAT and Winslow with two offers out the gate very early in FA. ATL, CLE, WAS, MEM, MIN, POR, LAL with at least one max offer space. NO, SAC just behind. Don't expect all teams active - Blazers typically conservative in FA for example

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

This is a stacked RFA class - Two franchise talents in Luka and Zion, and there's a wealth of quality players up and down the line. Also factor in there being higher maxes this year in an effort to bring financial pain to teams who have held on too easily to talent

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

We have our first noticeable draft trade. The Orlando Magic package 11, 13, and a future 2nd to the Washington Wizards for 8 and a future projected mid-late first. Interesting decision and given we're at pick 7, Magic must have target in mind

[Jackson Ayorinde @AyorindeJackson]

This might be the smartest drafting we've seen out of Orlando in some time. A great pairing of players together. There's a bevy of teams trying to get in on that shiny sports car, which you think has to be going at #6 for the heartbroken, Haliburton-less Spurs