Fizdale Hopes Kristaps Porzingis Returns Soon, Will Challenge Star to Win MVP

New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale is setting the bar high for Kristaps Porzingis as the big man approaches his fourth season in the NBA.

Fizdale recently told The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears that he's encouraging the Knicks star to vie for the top individual year-end awards, a challenge that Porzingis is welcoming:       

"He likes exactly what I'm talking about from the standpoint of style of play. The fact that I won’t lock him into any position, that I'll always try to put him in a position of success, that I'm going to challenge him to be an MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. I think he really likes the idea of the way I operate, how I'm going to hold guys accountable to a strict level. He likes the sound of that."

Porzingis is still recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee, and Fizdale was unable to provide an updated timeline for when the 22-year-old might make his 2018-19 debut. He told Spears that Porzingis will come back "hopefully soon."

Based on last year, the idea of Porzingis winning MVP one day isn't ridiculous.

Prior to his injury, he was averaging 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game and hitting 39.5 percent of his three-pointers. He was also holding opponents to 48.7 percent shooting inside six feet and 48.0 percent inside 10 feet, according to NBA.com.

The ACL injury, however, raises big questions about what kind of player Porzingis will be when he returns. ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton looked at other young players who suffered similar injuries and found they performed worse than expected after coming back.

The Knicks are in an even tougher position because Porzingis can become a restricted free agent next summer. Even if he's healthy by December or January, that wouldn't give the team much to work from as it contemplates offering a max extension.

At the moment, Porzingis is the cornerstone of the Knicks' rebuild and one of the most promising stars the team has had in years. But the franchise should also have a contingency plan in mind should his ACL injury leave a lingering impact that alters his ceiling.