Wizards fans are split on team confidence - Washington DC Sports Today

Washington Wizards v Oklahoma City Thunder — Time for our next round of SB Nation Reacts survey results! | Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images

This is an interesting set of results.

Thank you for your responses to this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey. Here are the results:

Wizards fans are slightly more confident than not?!

A combined 52 percent of fans were content or confident in the Wizards’ direction in our survey this week by giving a score of 3, 4 or 5. That said, of this combined 52 percent, most gave 3’s (27 percent). Of the fans who are not confident, 26 percent gave 1’s, 22 percent gave 2’s.

Why are fans content or confident?

“The Wizards have finally went big with some of their lineups.”
“Bench scoring has been consistent, in particular from Rui Hachimura.”
“When the Wizards have a full roster, they can beat anyone in the NBA.”
“I am still neutral. Want to see the results of the trade deadline.”

And why are they not?

“On paper, we are a top 4 team in the east. Reality is I don’t believe our coach is willing this team to win. He doesn’t okay to players strength. All he cares it seems is just hustling and that’s it. There are a lot of plays were we even struggle to inbound the ball.”
“Same problems as always. Can win against the bad and/or heavily depleted team, but lose to teams that are relatively healthy. Beal bring out again doesn’t help. 10-12 seed is still written all over this team.”
“Tommy Sheppard is still calling the shots. And Bradley Beal still hasn’t been driven to the point where he is requesting a trade!”

Most Wizards fans believe the recent five-game win streak could have been enough to convince the front office NOT to rebuild now.

I am firmly in the rebuild-now camp. So I was rather conflicted to see the Wizards go on a five-game win streak at the end of December into early January. Coaches and players want to win every game and will do what they can for that result. So it is up to the front office to make the tough decisions to start over by trading key players (like Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis) for younger players and picks. Perhaps the Wizards need a new General Manager. But it’s clear to me things aren’t working.

Let’s get to why the recent win streak may convince the front office to stay pat. Currently, Washington is 17-23, just 1.5 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference and the play-in tournament. If the Wizards can get on another win streak, somehow during a road-heavy January, it could be enough for the front office to say, “We’re all-in with Kuz and KP, even if Kuz leaves DC for nothing in July.”

Without that five game win streak, the Wizards would likely be among the bottom three teams in the conference.

We also had a national survey that was sent through email. I will share that with you tomorrow.