The Dallas Mavericks acquired Kristaps Porzingis in a blockbuster trade last February to form an international star tandem with Luka Doncic.
In an interview with Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com, Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle admitted that he has been enamored with the 7-foot-3 Latvian Unicorn ever since he entered the NBA.
Porzingis will return from a serious torn left ACL he suffered on February 6, 2018, in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. He subsequently missed out the entire 2018-19 season.
The Knicks traded Porzingis in February last year after the disgruntled All-Star expressed that he wanted out. Dallas pounced on the situation and traded for the 24-year old to form an intriguing pairing with reigning Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic.
Porzingis was having a breakout third year campaign with the Knicks prior to his season-ending injury. In 48 games played in 2017-18, the Latvian forward averaged 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks, while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from three.
When healthy, there is no doubt that Porzingis, 24, is one of the most tantalizing young stars in the league. As Carlisle said, KP is an all-around talent that can do pretty much everything on the floor. Moreover, his unique combination of size, skill, and versatility makes him a nightmare, not only on offense, but on the defensive side of the ball as well.