As the Timberwolves have plunged into a crucial offseason in hopes of capitalizing on their first playoff berth in 14 years, a cloud has loomed over the franchise.



Much of it has centered around the team’s chemistry, in particular Jimmy Butler’s relationship with young teammates Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns and the ongoing search for common ground between Towns and coach Tom Thibodeau.



Towns found himself in the middle of trade speculation last month when rumors about his unhappiness reached the national stage. Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden maintained low profiles as they prepared for Thursday’s draft, which only seemed to amplify the volume of the speculation. In his first meeting with the media in more than seven weeks, Thibodeau discussed his relationship with Towns and the often tricky endeavor of dealing with the league’s incessant rumor mill in the age of social media.



“He’s doing quite well,” Thibodeau...