SB Nation NBA Reacts Week 22 results, Part 1: Wizards fans want the team to prioritize tanking the rest of the season

Thank you for your responses to this week’s SB Nation NBA Reacts surveys. For our national survey, please click on the link below.

Wizards fan confidence shoots down to 31 percent

SB Nation

A lot of stocks are experiencing wild swings due to geopolitical events. But they are stable assets compared to Washington Wizards fan confidence. Last week, confidence was at 72 percent. Now, it’s just 31.

Why are fans confident?

• “This whole season is now a loss. But it’s also an opportunity to get some great development for the younger players. We need as much info as possible to see how we can put it all together next season. One play-in game won’t help with that.”
• “I like the mix of young players and veterans. No players over 29 years old other than Ish Smith, and I don’t expect him to return next year.”
• “Even if Bradley Beal leaves in the off-season, we have some good young prospects who should continue to improve. Kuzma and Abidjan have star potential in my opinion and if Beal loses we will probably get decent compensation for him because he will want the bigger contract by signing and trading. The Porzingis trade was a great move to me and I just think the front office will build a contender given enough time.”
• “With Beal out for the year, I believe Unseld is experimenting with these last few games. This is to get some data before the year runs out, and will help shape their offseason moves. I think this approach is much different than “try to lose” or tanking.”

Why have fans lost faith, just one week after a promising game by Kristaps Porzingis?

• “Constant roster turnover, no continuity.”
• “I don’t think they have enough talent and the talent they do have isn’t the right collection of talent. I have increasingly diminished confidence in this front office to put the right pieces together.”
• “I believe they are blind to the fact that they are not good. Every year someone gets hurt like Beal this year and they have an excuse. They need to blow this up, and start over by trading Beal.”
• “Seems like this organization never makes the hard choice to suffer some near-term losses for long-term gains. Instead, they unintentionally stink but in a way that has no long-term benefits. Last year was a prime example. With covid-empty stadiums, it was the year to tank by trading Beal to Miami for young guns and draft capital and to lose 65 games to ensure a top draft choice in a loaded draft. But no! Organizational myopia means play-in game and standing pat. Same as this year, except Beal had less value and the draft class has less star power and depth. Success at this point will only come as a matter of luck, through the implementation of any coherent plan.”

Most fans want Wes Unseld, Jr. to hire a more experienced assistant with head coaching experience to his staff

SB Nation

The Wizards aren’t regarded to have among the best coaching staffs in the league to say the least. With Wes Unseld, Jr. about to finish his first season as an NBA head coach, 75 percent of you believe he should have a more experienced assistant head coach with NBA head coaching experience. For example, Portland Trail Blazers head coach has former Wizards head coach Scott Brooks on his staff as the lead assistant. And Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash had Mike D’Antoni on his staff when he started in 2020-21.

On the other hand, the only coach on Unseld’s staff with NBA head coaching experience is Mike Miller (not the former NBA player Mike Miller), and that was in an interim capacity.

That’s something Unseld can use for next season.

82 percent of Wizards fans want the team to tank!

SB Nation

The vast majority of you think the Wizards need to think about the future more than trying to make a play-in tournament where they probably won’t make the first round of the playoffs anyway.

Our national results will come out later this week.

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