The Plasited deal

Trent Plaisted is out to find some answers as to just how value he is as a professional. He won’t get the full report until about the first week of June, after some key workouts and the pre-draft camp in Orlando, an event he hopes he is invited to attend.

Plaisted’s move can be debated ad naseum. Is he ready? Does he have value? What’s he thinking? Is his game good enough? Would a return to BYU be wise?

Again, the answers await him.

I was impressed on two fronts by Plaisted’s press conference on Thursday. He was polite, very informative and accessible to all reporters and two radio sports talk shows who wanted them on their own respective shows. He answered questions as best he could and continually explained he did not know what he needed to in order to make this decision. He wanted to find out and this was his plan. If he doesn’t like what he hears about his pro prospects, he’d be back and jump for joy in doing so.

Secondly, I think Dave Rose is handling this situation perfectly. Rose already has and will continue to be a conduit between the NBA and Plaisted. He talks to a lot of people. He is selling Plaisted as an unfinished prospect who is long, athletic, a hard worker and an absolute team player who will adapt and be flexible. Rose has set his own selfish interests aside in what Plaisted’s return to BYU will mean to his two-time champions.

This is smart because it underscores what players say about Rose, he is in their corner. His interest in furthering their cause, no matter what, is genuine and they know it. If he does all he can to help Plaisted discover all he can and feed him al the information he can gather, then when the time comes for a decision, if Plaisted pro stock is not going to be worth it, Rose will tell him and he has credibility.

I was very impressed how Rose has handled Plaisted’s interests. Since leaving Anaheim, he’s cut him a big swath, protected his interests, and been positive – almost to a fault. Sometimes, we’d have liked Rose to say after a game that Plaisted stunk it up. He wouldn’t do it, opting to build up his confidence. Privately, it was likely a different matter. Publicly, Rose took Plaisted’s back, always has. This pays dividends down the road.

I’d put the odds at 40-60 that Plaisted will return to BYU next year. I do not think he’ll go in the first round where the guaranteed money is on the plate. His decision will be to accept second round money and make a roster or go to Europe and there is no promise, at this point he will go in the second round. That’s what he’s trying to find out.

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The General, Cameron Jensen got released by the Seahawks but Kelly Poppinga was in Miami this week, showing film and working out with the Dolphins.