Notes: Calipari on Murray, Poythress, more

The addition of Jamal Murray last week provided some answers for the 2015-16 Kentucky basketball team.

But some questions remain.

Chief among them might be the status of senior-to-be Alex Poythress, still rehabbing a surgically repaired left knee. A torn ACL in that knee cost Poythress most of this season, and he's not yet ready for action.

"He's good. He's only five months out," UK coach John Calipari said Monday on the SEC basketball coaches' summer teleconference. "He needs another three months -- or at least two months -- and we'll see from there."

Poythress has worked hard to rehab the left knee, Calipari said, but "the other leg's got to catch up now."

If Poythress is healthy, the addition of Murray will give Calipari some lineup flexibility. The 6-foot-3 Murray can play either guard spot and could share a backcourt with Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe.

"He is a playmaking guard who can play 1 or 2 and can really score the ball," Calipari said. "Great in pick and rolls. Can play with Tyler or you could play three guards at times if you chose to do that."

But that's no guarantee, particularly if Poythress -- who is a more natural power forward but can play small forward -- is ready to play. With Kentucky's lineup options in that scenario, Calipari said, "it could be crazy again" for the Wildcats, who went 38-1 and lost to Wisconsin in the Final Four, then lost seven players to pro basketball.

"It's hard to say you're gonna (play three guards) when you have the bigs that we have in Skal (Labissiere), Marcus (Lee) and Alex if he's healthy, along with (wing players) Charles (Matthews) and Mychal (Mulder). All of the sudden you have Dom (Hawkins) and you have Derek (Willis), you have a -- we have a good team. I mean, we're like, 'Let's start playing. Let's throw it up.'"

Options Open

Last week the NCAA men's basketball oversight committee proposed a rule change that would allow players to declare for the NBA Draft, attend the draft combine in Chicago, be evaluated by team personnel, then decide whether to return to college, provided they have not signed with an agent.

If the proposal is approved in January, players could evaluate their draft status by combine performance -- or by whether or not they're invited to the combine -- and have more options. Currently, once players declare for the Draft, they cannot return to school regardless of agent status.

"I think it's all good stuff," Calipari said. "I think we're finally moving in a direction where it favors the kids, and that's what we should be doing."

Bring it Down

Asked on Monday for his opinion on the display of the confederate flag and statues honoring confederates, Calipari initially responded "Really?"

But the Kentucky coach clarified his stance, first on the conference call, and then on his Twitter account: he'd support taking down the flag and statues, such as the one of confederate president Jefferson Davis at the Kentucky state capitol building.

"They offend, and I would say do it, yeah," Calipari said, before adding, " Since I'm not running for public office, I will let the powers that be decide those matters."

Calipari later followed up via Twitter.

Was just asked a question on a bball conference call about the confederate flag. I don't want any confusion. I think we should take it down!— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) June 29, 2015