Leave Plaisted at the 5
 

I read all this stuff about Plaisted wanting to play the 4.

Trent, get your butt under the basket, learn to play interior D, learn to rebound, learn to play with your back to the basket, learn post moves, learn how to finish in the paint.

I'm so sick of tall guys that want to play on the outside. I'm sympathetic because in the NBA he'll need to play the 4--maybe. But what these kids don't understand is that the skills that a center has are megavaluable in the NBA. Even if you're a 3 or 4 man, if you practice those skills, it will bring you a major ROI.

Come on Trent, do your duty. You're not going on a mission, so do you duty for BYU. Play the position they need you at, do a good job, work your butt off, and you'll be better off for it when it's time to go pro.

I agree with you. Trent needs to log the majority of his minutes this year at the 5 and become a good college center. Then next year, after Malaman and Keena Young graduate, he can develop an outside shot and go out and play on the perimeter.

KY and Trent are the two best players on the team. KY cannot play anything but the 4. In order to get the best team on the court it means Trent is still at the 5.

What plausible reason could Coach have to want to play Plaisted at the 4? Is it a coach's job to win college games or to prepare kids to be potential pros?

Play the 5 Trent.

Is Plaisted quick enough to play outside? I ask this because I honestly don't know.

I agree that the best thing he (or any kid with substantial height) can do is learn to hone the skills of a 5. A good center is hard to find and is very advantageous for the team.

he's quick for his bulk, which mean, overall, he is not *that* quick.

but if he can use his size to an advantage, it wouldn't matter as much.

i've heard him called "bouncy." That implies a certain amount of quickness and althleticism. However in the NBA, he would be somewhat slow and lacking ups.

It sounds like it would be best for him to use whatever quickness he has inside rather than outside. Good post moves + a bit of quickness = a center that is tough to stop.

He's definintely not a white-boy stiff. But he needs a more refined game.

If he thinks he can go against Garnett at the 4, he is smoking substances. I never saw anything that made me think he would be a good 4.

Plaisted got stuck on guarding smaller players on occasion off switches. One of the most impressive things I've ever seen was him isolated on a black 6'5ish swingman, who tried to smoke him baseline. Plaisted got down in defensive position, moved his feet, and beat him to the spot. Very impressive. Plaisted most definitely has the quickness to play the 4. His only weakness in my mind in him at the 4 is shooting.

But his value in the paint far exceeds anything he can give us at a different position.

I agree with Goat 100% that Trent and Keena are the two best players on the team, and Keena's value is at the 4. So at least until next year, TP has got to be nearly exclusively at the 5 for the good of the team. I also believe that TP's skills at the 5 are so needed, that even next year and beyond, it is best for Cougs to keep him there. I further believe that, though TP will probably play the 4 in NBA, investing the time in college playing the 5 exclusively will help him just as much in the long run as splitting time and practice at both positions.

But just cuz I want him at the 5, I strongly defend his quickness and overall ability to move to the 4 when the time comes.