Trae Young saw a future Paul George in Michael Porter Jr.

Michael Porter Jr. is an NBA champion and an undisputed starter on an extremely talented Denver Nuggets roster. He is a versatile offensive threat with a three-level scoring package, meaning he can score around the rim, in the mid-range or on the perimeter.

Unfortunately, Porter Jr. may never reach his full potential. The 26-year-old encountered back issues during his maiden season with Missouri in the SEC, which saw him slide toward the back end of the NBA Draft lottery. He then missed his entire rookie season due to a second surgery of the lumbar spine.

According to Dr. Charla Fischer, a surgeon at NYU Langone Health, Porter Jr.'s injury wasn't uncommon. Therefore, surgery was able to help get him back on the court and playing at a high level once his rehabilitation had taken place.

“That process of those small tears happens to everyone over time,“ Fischer told SB Nation's Matt Ellentuck in 2018. “Genetics plays a small role, but over time everyone’s disks deflate like a tire getting worn down. In some athletes, if stress is being transferred to an area ... it’s a repetitive stress injury. Over and over, jumping up to catch rebounds, you’re getting stress in one area. Then you get these micro tears and the nucleus pulposus (jelly) comes out.“

However, NBA All-Star Trae Young believes Porter Jr.'s back issues have limited his ceiling. During a recent appearance on the "Podcast P with Paul George" podcast, Young noted how Porter Jr. could have been an elite forward in a similar mold to George.

"I was at the practice that he hurt his back," Young said. "...The difference in his game, he would have been another PG. He's so offensively skilled. He's so smooth with his game. He was a really good defender in high school, but he could've been an even better defender at this level. If his back wasn't so stiff ... It's just unfortunate. He would have been a really, really high-level player."

While Porter Jr.'s chances of reaching the level of George are slim, he is still carving out an exceptional career for himself. He's a key cog in one of the most talented rosters in the Western Conference. He averages an impressive 15.7 points, 6.2. rebounds and 1.2 assists for his career, and he will likely be a starting-caliber role player for the majority of his tenure in the league.

Considering everything Porter Jr. has overcome, he is exceeding expectations and could potentially end his career as a multi-time champion. That's not bad for someone who had serious health concerns when entering the league in 2018.