Rick Carlisle: Look—losing Myles Turner is a significant loss for our team. The guy’s been a terrific player. He had a great season. And look, we were talking to them—or talking to them, meaning his agent—about him returning. And really, kind of out of nowhere, Milwaukee decided to waive Damian Lillard and stretch his contract—stretch his money out over whatever number of years you can do it by rule. And then they created space to sign Myles. I think what probably happened—and this is part of negotiation in any sport— A team will say: “Hey, look, we have this offer. It’s this much over this many years, but if we make this offer, we need to know that you’re going to take it and not shop it.” And so, I believe that’s probably what happened with Milwaukee. It was a number. It was a certain number of years. And they just jumped at it, and there was never a chance to counter. So—those things happen. And when they do, you just have to keep going.

More HoopsHype Rumors

July 15, 2025 | 10:55 pm EDT Update

Social media has been going crazy over the trade you made to get the draft rights to Queen while trading a first-round pick. What would you say to the critics? (The Pelicans traded their 23rd pick in the 2025 NBA draft and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks to acquire the 13th pick in the 2025 NBA draft, using it to select Queen.) I don’t mind the criticism. People say they don’t mind. But I really don’t mind. When you’re running a franchise, you make a determination of what you think you need to start growing your franchise. The opportunity presented itself that we could get two lottery picks, and to do that, you’re going to have to give up something. We gave up what we thought it would take to get these two lottery picks and we did. Now, I really don’t mind the criticism, the second guessing. I’ve done this long enough to understand that it just comes with the business. It’s just the sports world we live in. But we’re building a team to play it out. I believe in my guys. We’ll see how it plays out.

What attracted you to trade for guard Jordan Poole? Joe Dumars: If you look around the league now, it’s almost a requirement to have high-level guard play, dynamic guard play. Jordan has a skillset that matches the most dynamic guards in this league. We’ve also seen him be a part of a championship team and contribute at a high level. So, with his skillset, he’s a dynamic guard and I know we have proof that he’s helped teams win championships. I look at those things and say, ‘I want him here and I want to tap into all of what he’s experienced so far.’

James Johnson! How scary could he potentially be? He doesn’t seem like a scary guy… When you’re a big, ass-kicking guy, you’re either: A) “Because I have a hammer, everything’s a nail,” or B) You understand it, and you don’t look for conflict. He seems like the latter—but how scary could he be? Rick Carlisle (half-jokingly): Yeah, we gotta be careful—I don’t know where this show goes out to, exactly. But he’s undefeated. He’s an undefeated mixed martial arts guy. I think he’s been in eight or ten matches, something like that. And you know—one time I heard somebody talking to him, like: “Don’t be starting stuff or whatever…” And he said to me: “Coach, in my discipline—we don’t start things, we finish things.” And so… that’s all I really needed to hear. If I even needed to hear anything at all about it. He’s a special guy, you know?

K.C. Johnson: You ever golf with Caruso? He’s pretty good. Matas Buzelis: No, I haven’t. I was supposed to golf with Zach LaVine. Interviewer: Also good. Matas Buzelis: Yeah, he’s also— He’s not better than me, though. K.C. Johnson: You hear that, Zach? Zach, you’re not better than me. I saw him play. He’s all right. He’s not better than me.

July 15, 2025 | 9:08 pm EDT Update

Matas Buzelis: What’s my ceiling? I—I don’t know. I don’t know. I think I could be the best. I mean, that’s just how I think. I always believe—I always think—I could be the best. So I never put a limit on anything for me. That’s just how I was raised. I think I could be the best player ever. That’s just how I think. And if you don’t think like that, I mean—it’s not the sport for you.

K.C. Johnson: All right, we’re here with Matas. We’re in Las Vegas Summer League, but I want to start with a look back. I have not asked you what your reaction was to making All-Rookie Second Team. Matas Buzelis: Oh yeah. Honestly, to have your name on something like that, to have the award, is always an honor. It shows the countless hours of working in the gym. Even looking back at playing AAU, sacrificing my childhood life to play basketball. All the memories come flying back — me and my mom driving an hour to go work out, staying there, working out hard three, four hours. It’s honestly a blessing. Hopefully I get more awards soon. K.C. Johnson: Any part of you mad you weren’t on First Team? Matas Buzelis: I’m always mad. I always think I could do better. I wanted that Rookie of the Year, but it’s all in God’s plan. Second Team All-Rookie is not bad either.