SB Nation NBA Reacts Week 21 Results, Part 1: Wizards fans are optimistic about Kristaps Porzingis’ debut

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72 percent of Wizards fans are confident in the team’s direction

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(That’s septante-deux pour cent, or do we have to say soixante-douze now that we don’t have Belgians on Washington teams anymore?)

Anyway, the Wizards are continuing to meddle around in the almost-but-not-quite-in-the-play-in category in the Eastern Conference standings. I just don’t like that the Wizards are 11th in the East. So I found that interesting when over 700 PEOPLE responded to our survey!

Either way, I’m a little surprised that fan confidence increased this week from last week’s figure of 45 percent.

(I gotta say, we’re doing pretty good with this now, and that’s something I have 100 percent confidence in!)

Here’s why you are confident. In short, it’s mainly because you are optimistic in a core trio of Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma:

• “The Wizards finally have a nucleus (Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle Kuzma, Kenatvious Caldwell-Pope & Daniel Gafford) guys who are athletic can play defense and also can score.”
• “It all comes down to a matter of health. We are regular playoff team when healthy.”
• “Big 3” (This showed up specifically in about 10 or so responses.)
• “Beal KP And Kuzma are legitimate threats as a big 3.”

And the KP Euphoria is still real:

• “They have a center that can do multiple things; that should allow them to find a point guard in the draft.”

Of course, we have fans who are NOT confident. So why?

• “Even though we got KP, we never splash in free agency. It’s just the same thing every year where we can never draft actual stars, just first round role players, and then fill the bench with random cheap free agents.”
• “Been a fan since 1968, have suffered through some rough teams, I thought when Sheppard came on board as GM things would change but if anything they’re worse!!”
• “They seem to not let new players develop before trading them. They make no ‘Big’ signings in free agency and no “Big” trades before the deadline.”
• “Spencer Dinwiddie’s trade and his interviews after it make me question if WUJ is given the authority to decide everything related to basketball and has a say in the constitution of the roster.”

Wizards fans give Kristaps Porzingis’ debut an A!

SB Nation

After scoring 25 points in his first game as the Wizards’ starting center, yeah, Porzingis deserves an A!

That’s septante trois errr soixante-treize ummmm.... SEVENTY THREE PERCENT!

Who gave KP a C? I get that Porzingis is often injured, but this was a good start for him!

Wizards fans believe that Daniel Gafford should be their priority at center over Thomas Bryant

SB Nation

With Porzingis now in Washington, the Wizards still have their center rotation to figure out again. Thomas Bryant is on the last year of his current contract while Daniel Gafford has a three-year extension that kicks in next year. All things considered, I’m nor surprised that 56 percent of you believe that Gaff should be the higher priority to keep next season.

Our national results will come out later this week.

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