C.J. Miles on the Pacers' new style, West, Hibbert, Ellis, more

ORLANDO – C.J. Miles moved his offseason workouts to Orlando this week to show support to the Indiana Pacers' summer league team. Before the Pacers' 90-65 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, Miles sat down for an exclusive interview with The Star.

Miles shared his anticipation of playing in the Pacers' new style, his thoughts on the two draft picks and endorsed the team's wooing of Monta Ellis and re-signings of Rodney Stuckey and Lavoy Allen. Miles also expressed surprise about David West's departure but supported his former teammates, including an explanation, in his view, why Indiana had to unleash the Big Dawg.

Question: What are your overall thoughts on how the summer has gone for the Pacers?

Answer: We're trying to get better. I think that's the biggest thing. Obviously, the David West situation, we didn't see that coming. I didn't. I don't know what the front office thought. The Roy thing — I mean, I was only here one year. It's unfortunate the way it's perceived to happen but at the same time, that was something that we needed to do as a team to get better. I wish all good vibes to him and I hope that he continues to be Big Dawg, who he is (and) continues to play well and defend the rim — until we play him anyway.

And as far as being able to bring Stuckey back, it was great. Having him last year and seeing what he does for our team is great. The addition of Monta Ellis, as far as us wanting to play faster, he definitely fits that mold. We're just going to continue to get better, I think. I didn't see the (summer league) games because I wasn't able to watch them on TV but Myles (Turner) seems to be playing well. Joe (Young), hopefully he's what he was in college, which will definitely help us play up and down.

Q: You brought up something interesting: 'The Roy Hibbert situation and how it was perceived.' How do you think it was perceived?

A: I just think people kind of look at it, like (the Pacers) thought so terribly of him, like, 'We threw him away.' I don't think that's the case. The team decided they wanted to play a different way. They felt like he wasn't going to benefit from it and obviously we weren't going to benefit from it. So, why would you put him in a situation where he couldn't be himself or be a good basketball player? Or a better basketball player? … I loved playing with Big Dawg. He did a lot for the team and before that everybody knows his success with the identity of the team. (But) with the identity changing, for him to be able to continue to be Big Dawg, it wouldn't be as effective in up-and-down type of play because that's not the way he plays.

Q: Well, the company line was always, 'Roy's going to do whatever role we need him to do.' You're on the inside, you probably know better. Were you surprised when the Pacers did work a deal to trade him?

A: I wasn't expecting it but you look at it as if you're another team and you want a guy like Big Dawg. You see the way we're talking about changing pace and his role is going to be a little bit smaller and things like that, (then) why wouldn't you call for him? Being in a situation where he feels like he's going to be able to continue to be himself and be able to grow and get better, then he's probably going to want to come there, too.

Not saying he wanted to leave. I don't think anybody ever wants to leave their situation they're in; you have a family, you have a house, but you don't want to not be happy, just collecting a check. I don't think anybody wants that. I know I don't. If you're not happy, eventually you're not going to play well, eventually it's going to leave you to mentally not being in it. I had a similar type of thing when I was in Salt Lake City. I was there for seven years and it just got to the point where it was time for me to move and be able to grow and be able to do some different things. Maybe that's just the situation where it is now. That's the way I see it.

(Reporter's note: In light of the Wednesday afternoon Twitter emoji frenzy between Clippers players and Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons to woo DeAndre Jordan, I sent Miles a text message of an emoji running man to tell him to hurry up to the interview.)

Q: All emoji jokes aside and the Clippers sending out those emojis to show they're serious about pursuing DeAndre Jordan, were you in contact with David or Roy during this period?

A: I had dinner with Roy in L.A. earlier, before the trade. We don't get together to talk about that stuff but we sat down, had dinner, had some laughs. I haven't talked to D West at all through the summer. But I wish the same for him. I wish the best for him. He made a decision based on what he felt and that's all you can really ask. I think sometimes it's not fair when the players use the business side to benefit themselves (and) people look at it like it's crazy. "Why would you do that? Why would you do this?" But when it happens from the other side, everybody's like, "Well, it's a business." It's a business on both sides and he decided for himself that it was a better fit for him to be somewhere else. Obviously, it's in a pure state because he took a large pay cut so if that doesn't tell you something of what he stands for and what he's trying to do, I don't know what does. He was great to play with last year."

Q: A lot of us in the press, me included, have said the Pacers are losing a big piece. Do you think the locker room is losing something big with David West leaving?

A: There's definitely a void you have to fill. D West not even playing is still an addition because of his presence, who he is and how he approaches the game, his mindset. It's definitely something you have to fill. I think it's a situation where now new guys are going to have to step up and become leaders of this team, vocally and toughness-wise and things like that. That just brings on growth of other guys."

Q: Who would you say needs to step up and be the locker room leader?

A: It's a collective effort. We have a lot of guys who are capable of leading in different ways. We have a lot of guys that are going to have to do things for us to be successful, especially playing smaller and faster. And everybody's going to find their niche in the way they can do it. And I think we'll be fine because we have guys who have the capability. George Hill is capable, Paul George is capable. Solomon (Hill) is young but Solomon has a voice that he knows the game well enough where he can be vocal at points. And myself also, just from experience-wise. We've all been in situations where we can help. As long as everyone's on the same page, it doesn't matter who speaks as long as we're all speaking the right way.

Q: It's very early but how do you see the starting five shaping up?

A: It's not my job. Whatever makes us play well, whatever makes us win games is how I want to go. I've played off the bench and started, I can do both ways. Whatever they decide makes us go better, then that's what I'm down for.

Q: When you hear smaller, faster pace, more uptempo, how exactly does that type of basketball look for the Pacers?

A: I don't think people should expect us to be just chaotic. Run and shoot every thing, every crazy thing. But just to play with a lot more pace, a lot more spacing because now you have another shooter on the floor and just being able to take advantage of matchups a little differently, the way people have tried to do to us.

Guys are working to come into camp in even better shape because we're playing a different style of basketball. We're definitely going to score more points because of it. You add a guy (Ellis) who's averaged 18 points a game and then you've got Stuckey, myself, George Hill and Paul George coming back. You've got guys who are more than capable in scoring the basketball. If you get to a time when you have four of those five guys on the court at the same time, all the time, we're going to be able to make a lot more plays than we (did) last year playing bigger. There's just more space. Then you have four guys who can create their own shot, four guys who can make a play for somebody else. I think we're just going to take advantage of that.

Q: You talked about guys this summer getting ready for it, how have your workouts gone?

A: I'm just working. That's the best way I can put it. Just working. I've been working here (in Orlando) at summer league. I've been working in Indiana every day. I've been in the gym just making sure I'm in the best shape as possible to put myself in a position where I can play as many games as possible (and) as many minutes as I'm asked to do. Going off that last month and half (Miles averaged 16.1 points on 41 percent 3-point shooting over the final 19 games), being able to ride that confidence into the summer and be able to show what I'm capable of doing — a lot more than what I was doing at certain points — (will be a major factor).

Q: Have you spoken to Monta? Or been in contact with other teammates this summer?

A: I have not spoken to Monta yet. I speak to Paul. He's been in and out of Indiana. I've been (there) the whole time. Me and George (Hill) have been in the gym together a lot because he's been here. I've spoken to Ian. Guys have been around and we speak.

Q: So besides guys stepping up to fill the void, it sounds like you're excited about next season.

A: Yeah, I'm excited about basketball, period. That's just me. I love to play basketball. I love to compete. I'm excited just for the fact of having Paul back, the additions we made, the guys we kept, the things we're going to be able to do. Even without a style change it's exciting because now you have all your pieces back and pieces that you believe can help you. And with the style change, obviously I think it benefits my skill set because of the way I play: run and jump and be able to play with a pace and shoot open shots. But I think it benefits anybody that has a skill set just because there are more opportunities.

Call Star reporter Candace Buckner at (317) 444-6121. Follow her on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.