West Notes: Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, Kings, Thunder

Clippers

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is progressing toward a return after participating in 5-on-5 drills at practice, coach Tyronn Lue told reporters, via Andrew Greif of the LA Times.

“He looked pretty good, Lue said, via Greif. “Still a ways to go but that was the first sign of positivity.”

Leonard has missed 10 of the Clippers’ first 12 games while managing knee soreness. He was sidelined for all of last season after suffering a torn ACL.

Lue said he wasn’t sure if Leonard would come off the bench when he finally does return, per Greif.

Kings

Shooting guard Kevin Huerter is in his first season with the Kings and said he is already noticing how their games seem to be officiated differently. Huerter spent his first four NBA seasons with the Hawks.

“It hurts me to say this, but yes,” Huerter told Sactown Sports 1140 AM on if the Kings’ games are officiated differently than when he was with the Hawks, via Tom Dierberger of NBC Sports Bay Area. “Honestly. That is something that within the first [nine] games has been noticeable.

“I won’t say which teammates, but a couple of teammates that have been here said, ‘Things are different here in Sac. We don’t get many calls. You’re going to realize in every game that things are different,’ and honestly it is something I’ve felt so far.”

• Former NBA official Tim Donaghy predicted that the Kings’ playoff drought will end this season, in a video for The Kings Herald. Sacramento last made the playoffs in 2006, prior to the invention of the iPhone.

Thunder

• The Thunder could potentially return to second-round pick Jaylin Williams to help fill their void in the frontcourt, per Kade Kimble of SI.com. Williams was recalled from the G League on Friday.
• Point guard Tre Mann could help change the course of the Thunder’s season, Kimble wrote in a separate piece.