Bennett, Hummel get an opportunity with Young gone

Friday morning Thaddeus Young wasn't with the Wolves in New Orleans. But he was on their minds, and in their prayers.

Young's mother, Lulu Hall, died Thursday. Young had left the team to travel to Memphis, Tenn. To be with his mother, and was able to see her before she died. Young will remain with his family for the near future, which means he will miss tonight's game against the Pelicans and Saturday's game in Dallas at least.

"The last week she took a turn for the worst," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said. "So we talked to him, told him that whenever he needed to go home he could go. Fortunately for him, he was able to get home and have a chance to talk to his mother before she passed away. Our sentiments go out to him and his family. He's part of our family. She was part of our family. So it's a sad day for everybody."

Saunders said Hall had been sick for a while. "She had breast cancer a couple years ago," he said. "I think it just reared its head."

Young's teammates said they would support him any way they could.

"I just sent him a text," Corey Brewer said after the team's morning shoot finished. "It's tough. I know from when my dad passed. I can only imagine how he feels right now. I'm with him. I'm praying for him. All you can do is pray and be there if he needs anything."

Said Zach LaVine: "We're all going to have a prayer for him."

Saunders also said you could see Gorgui Dieng and Nikola Pekovic on the floor together at times.

"It's an opportunity," Saunders. "Everybody has to step up. We don't have Ricky (Rubio) or Thad, two of our most efficient guys. All of our fours are young guys. So it's a good opportunity for them to play against maybe the best young player in our league right now."