Despite some well-publicized disagreements between the two, it appears that the relationship between Karl-Anthony Towns and Tom Thibodeau did not play a role in the Minnesota Timberwolves head coach's recent dismissal. According to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski, Towns and Thibodeau had gotten along well in the weeks leading up to the firing on Sunday night:
Some have posited that Karl-Anthony Towns won a power struggle with Thibs. Can say that definitively wasn't the case. KAT and Thibs were getting along well in recent weeks. And KAT is playing out of his mind right now.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) January 7, 2019
Karl-Anthony Towns has been playing better since the Jimmy Butler trade. Towns has averaged 24.5 points, 13.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while showing improved defense in his last 10 games. The 19-21 Wolves have gone 5-5 in their last 10, capped off with a 22-point win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. The recent improvement likely means that the dismissal of Thibodeau has been in the works for some time now.
It will be interesting to see how Towns performs under interim head coach Ryan Saunders, the 32-year-old son of the late Flip Saunders. Saunders is now the youngest head coach in the league, with 38-year-old Luke Walton next.
Towns and Thibodeau had their disagreements this past summer, prompting some to wonder if the Timberwolves would be forced to choose between their head coach and their franchise cornerstone center. Towns quieted those thoughts by signing a five-year extension worth up to $190 million in late September to avoid restricted free agency this upcoming summer
Karl-Anthony Towns, 23, is averaging 21.7 points and 12.4 rebounds after making the All-Star Game and All-NBA third team last season.
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