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Thibodeau communicating with Towns, thinks Wolves are 'in a good place'

Zhong Zhi / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Since the Minnesota Timberwolves' season ended, reports and rumors have swirled about internal dysfunction plaguing the team. One such report suggested there was tension between head coach/president Tom Thibodeau and franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns.

It's unknown how much truth there was to that report, but Thibodeau and Towns appear to be on solid ground now. The two have been communicating this offseason, and plan to have further "substantive dialogue" in the coming weeks, sources told The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski.

Thibodeau addressed his relationship with the All-Star center, and the Wolves' rumored turmoil, when he spoke to the media on Wednesday.

"He's doing quite well," Thibodeau told reporters, according to Krawczynski. "And I love KAT. He's had a terrific start to his career. … To get to where we are - and obviously we're not where we ultimately want to be, but it was a major step forward - you can't do it individually. It's got to be the whole group doing it together. And for the most part, I think we are in a good place."

"When you look around the league, there's rumors everywhere, so you don't want to respond to every rumor. And when you go down a path where you're trying to change things to improve, there's going to be some bumps in the road. But your communication, what you're doing every day, these are not uncommon things."

On top of the Towns-Thibodeau friction, there are reports that All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler, just a year away from free agency, isn't thrilled with Andrew Wiggins' work ethic and defense. The five-year extension worth $148-million that Wiggins signed last summer kicks in next season.

Towns will become eligible for his own extension on July 1, and Thibodeau - the NBA's last remaining coach/executive - will have to negotiate that contract.

Towns is coming off a season when he averaged 21.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks with a sterling 64.6 true shooting percentage. He was also named to the All-NBA third team and still hasn't missed a game in three NBA seasons. The Wolves were 13.1 points per 100 possessions better with Towns on the floor.

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