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Thank you for signing up for SB Nation NBA Reacts so far this season. We have received consistent feedback, and I apologize for the delay in last week’s results. The graphics aren’t in yet, but I saw the fan confidence data and wanted to share that with you now.
Sign up for SB Nation NBA Reacts here:
Our last survey ended on Mar. 16 but we didn’t have the graphics come in time, though the data was available. With the Wizards starting their post All-Star Break schedule with four straight losses from Mar. 10 to Mar. 15, it’s no surprise that fan confidence dropped from 35 percent last week.
What surprised me however was that only FOUR percent of Wizards fans who responded were confident in the team:
Wizards fan confidence to date in the 2020-21 season
| Dec. 23 | Dec. 30 | Jan. 06 | Jan. 13 | Jan. 20 | Jan. 27 | Feb. 4 | Feb. 10 | Feb. 18 | Feb. 25 | Mar. 2 | Mar. 9 | Mar. 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 23 | Dec. 30 | Jan. 06 | Jan. 13 | Jan. 20 | Jan. 27 | Feb. 4 | Feb. 10 | Feb. 18 | Feb. 25 | Mar. 2 | Mar. 9 | Mar. 16 |
| 45% | 18% | 25% | 20% | 13% | 23% | 13% | 10% | 19% | 35% | 48% | 35% | 4% |
Four percent is low, and our response numbers are all generally in a 50-ish range but it has trended up throughout the season. You have to give your email to sign up for these surveys, which are often going to commenters, who are our most engaged readers on the site.
If nothing else, you can safely say that one in 25 fans aren’t confident in the team based on the results.
Here is the data visualization...
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We knew that the start of the post-All-Star Break schedule was going to be rough. But consider this:
- The Wizards aren’t expected to make a major move at the deadline this Thursday, whether that means acquiring an impact player, or trading Bradley Beal for what could be a lion’s sum of draft picks and/or young prospects.
- The team has put Troy Brown on the trade block, and perhaps Moritz Wagner and Davis Bertans as well, but none of them will be in other uniforms for various reasons. I’ll go so far to say that they can’t go unless Beal is traded, which again, isn’t likely.
- The last thing the Wizards could afford to do (in terms of keeping their playoff hopes alive) is starting the post All-Star Break schedule with four straight losses through Mar. 15 when the survey was active. Washington has gone 1-2 in the games since that survey.
Perhaps this week’s survey was a bit negatively skewed. But the Wizards have a losing record in a season where many thought they could have done better. Even if the numbers trend a little better next week, it’s not like fans are that confident that Tommy Sheppard and Scott Brooks are doing a good job. And it’s only going to get harder to keep Beal happy in the medium to long term.
We’ll send more updates on your other questions tomorrow as we head toward the trade deadline this Thursday.
Again, if you haven’t signed up for SB Nation NBA Reacts, do so below!