Constructive criticism? Timberwolves have been a little thin-skinned lately

Among the issues guards Mike Conley and Anthony Edwards addressed after the Timberwolves dropped their fourth consecutive game Wednesday was the team’s inability to communicate clearly.

Edwards said he felt like the team was “growing away from each other” while Conley said if someone is calling someone out, “We got to able to communicate and listen. Somebody’s talking to you, not get angry or snap back.”

At shootaround prior to Friday’s game against the Clippers, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid both gave their thoughts on this dynamic with the team.

Alexander-Walker gave perhaps the most revealing answer, which indicated the loss of Kyle Anderson has left a leadership vacuum Edwards is attempting to fill.

“It’s a different team and dynamic, when you look at the team a season ago,” Alexander-Walker said. “Different personalities. Lost Kyle, who was a very, very vocal person in the locker room. He was kind of the glue to a lot of that stuff. It put guys in a position where now Ant is more vocal than ever. This is his first year doing so.”

The emergence of Edwards as a vocal leader began last season and has accelerated now that he is the clear franchise player following the trade of Karl-Anthony Towns.

Edwards got reflective Wednesday night in saying the team was “soft” in its inability to handle blunt truths with each other and he said it didn’t feel like they were a cohesive group.

Reid said Friday that Edwards’ intentions are clear, and said he didn’t think Edwards meant everything he said Wednesday literally. For instance, when asked what he felt about Edwards saying the team was growing apart, Reid said:

“I don’t think he meant that specifically because we all conversated with him, and we all kind of know what he means. We don’t really take harm to it,” Reid said. “These type of games, we have 64 games left, I just don’t want us — and I’m sure he doesn’t as well — he doesn’t want us to overreact.

“We still have a lot of basketball left, a lot of figuring out to do for ourselves and the team. We’ll pick it up and get it right. It’s just one of those phases in the season where you’re kind of having a slump, and we can get better.”

But the Wolves’ issues go beyond just what Edwards says to teammates, it’s what they all say to each and how they react to that. That’s what Conley was trying to improve during a vocal halftime Wednesday night.

Alexander-Walker said so far there’s been a lot of “come back” when one teammate tries to address another, though that has started to improve.

“We’re going back and forth now, as opposed to receiving it and saying, ‘OK, I got you.’ That’s how it’s going to be,” Alexander-Walker said “It’s very rare that someone is just going to be able to be called out and not have anything to say. It’s human nature to be defensive at the end of the day, but it’s remembering what we’re here for. If I’m being called out, chances are I got to look in the mirror and be better.”

Another comment from Edwards that stood out from Wednesday was that he felt the team had individual agendas on the floor that was getting in the way of team success. Reid said that didn’t feel that when he considered why the Wolves are slumping. But he said he likes that Edwards is speaking his mind and diagnosing what he feels is wrong.

“Being able to be vocal in that situation is a big jump for him. … Being able to be vocal, speak out on some of the issues, I think that’s just growth from that standpoint,” Reid said. “As he goes on, whatever message is put out there, obviously he means the best and no harm to anyone on the team. He just knows how good we can be.”

Reid is in his sixth season, and while this is a rough point the Wolves haven’t experienced in a while — they never lost more than three consecutive games all last season — he was trying to have a long view of the season. Just like two years ago, when integrating center Rudy Gobert to the mix brought a lot of “ups and downs.”

“I try not to think bad about it. Next thing you know, we’re on a 10-game win streak,” Reid said. “It can go either way at any time. Just staying positive. Being negative doesn’t do anything for us as a team or individually.”