Fan Survey Results: Part 2
In a tradition that started last year, every off-season I conduct a fan survey to get a pulse on the biggest questions facing the Charlotte Hornets. This year saw another strong turnout with over 500 responses, making it the largest annual Hornets fan survey I'm currently aware of. Check out Part 1 if you missed it, let's dive into the the rest of the results.
Question 1
A Report from Jake Fischer back in mid-July suggested PJ Washington was "Looking for $18M per year". It seems Hornets fans are torn on if Charlotte should award that level of contract to PJ Washington. On one hand PJ Washington is a top 6 player on the team, if the playoffs are the goal this year Charlotte can't afford to lose him. Equally, it seems the wider NBA market doesn't value Washington at that price, so why should Charlotte bid against themselves and restrict future flexibility? Do Charlotte view Washington as a starter? That's the crux of the issue, the only back-up power forwards making over $15M per year are Davis Bertans, Rui Hachimura and Jonathan Isaac.
Question 2
This was one of my biggest surprises, l expected this to heavily favor "Yes". Perhaps this is a vote of confidence in Gordon Hayward, or a lack of confidence in Miller? Perhaps some fans have accepted that under Steve Clifford the veteran will likely start and fans have managed to bend their thinking to agree with this to protect them from disappointment.
It's uncommon but not unheard of for 2nd overall picks to come off the bench. If Miller were to start the year in a reserve role he would join former 2nd overall picks Victor Oladipo (2013), Brandon Ingram (2016) and Marvin Bagley (2018) in doing so in their rookie year. Of all the votes this
Question 3
If I conducted this poll the day after the draft it would likely have been a 80/20 split, if not more. However, it seems a greater proportion of the fanbase has (As always) talked themselves into Miller as the right pick at #2. However, with 43% of fans still feeling a sense of regret, I expect this to be a continuing dividing topic among fans. With Scoot Henderson set up for a high usage role and Miller potentially coming off the bench, it could be a rocky early season for Miller's post draft stock.
Question 4
Another topic that appears to split the fanbase, the slight majority of Hornets fans appear content with the existing selection of ball handlers on the roster. A brightside of Rozier playing point guard is it opens up additional minutes at the two for Martin, Miller or McGowens.
Question 5
Unsurprisingly after an ugly season fans' viewing habits dipped. Last season 35% of respondents watched <82 games, that was down to just 21% this year. It seems the number of fans who gave up watching altogether also increased, with 23.5% watching <20 games compared to just 14% last season. Only the most hardened Hornets fans will have kept watching at the end of the season to see the Svi Mykhailuk breakout.
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