Jason McIntyre says Deandre Ayton is in 'same class' as other elite NBA big men

The Los Angeles Lakers' biggest splash of the offseason was the team's signing of former number one overall pick Deandre Ayton.

Ayton spent the last two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, and now is looking to make a name for himself in the bright lights of Los Angeles.

RELATED: Deandre Ayton hasn’t heard from LeBron James since joining Lakers

Recently, Jason McIntyre, the founder of this big, beautiful website, mentioned that the hate on Ayton seems a little bit premature.

During a segment on the 'Herd w/Colin Cowherd', McIntyre feels that Ayton should be considered one of the best bigs in the league, with his career average of 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Ayton's career numbers have McIntyre saying that he is a top eight center in the league; however, he feels no one feels that way because Ayton was stuck in Portland for the past two seasons.

The Lakers needed a big, and whether or not people want to admit it, he is a good player. However, in this world of big names and ring chasing, for some reason certain fans forget that it takes good players to be a great team.

Of course, the verdict is still out on Ayton being a key piece for the Lakers this upcoming season. But calling this a bad move is extremely premature.

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