m*m* collatz-steps(*m=N + S* in my notation, where I refer-writing "steps"- to the number *N* of abbreviated$\small T(a;A)$ Assume again one step as on the form $\small a_{k+1} = (3 a_k +1)/2^{ A_k} = T(a_k;A_k) $. Then to have a cycle this means (ignore the index k here) $\small a=(3a +1)/2^A $ and also $\small 2^A=(3a +1)/a = (3 + 1/a) $ This can only be solved if a=1 and A=2, so there is only one general-cycle of length m=1N=1, S=2 and m=N+S=3 and we see a characteristic of the exponent A, which is much descriptive: the number of even steps of the original notation of the collatz-transformation is 2.
Now we assume a 2-step cycle $\small a = T(a;A,B) $ and dissolve this in two steps: $\small b=T(a;A) \qquad a=T(b;B) $ thus $\small b = (3 a +1)/2^A \qquad a=(3b+1)/2^B $. I'm used to write S for the sum A+B meaning the whole number of even steps, and N for the number of "odd steps", both wrt the original Collatz-notation, and in my notation N is the number of steps (and the power of 3 involved). If we write the (trivial) product of the two involved elements a and b in their direct notation and in their transformed expression we get $\small a\cdot b = (3b+1)/2^A \cdot (3a+1)/2^B $ and this can be rewritten as $\small 2^{A+B} = (3+1/a)(3+1/b) $ This is an interesting form and easily generalized for the analysis with bigger N (and respectively m) . Here we see, that a 2-step general cycle can only exist if $\small (3+1/a)(3+1/b) $ is a perfect power of 2; now considering the whole set of odd positive integers for a and b we see, that that product can vary only between $\small 9 \ldots 16 $ and thus must be S=A+B=4 and this requires a = b = 1 and thus A=B=2 (which is then only a concatenation of the trivial cycle $\small 1=T(1;2,2) $ . Here m=N+S=2+4=6 .
This way you may proceed studying longer assumed cycles. For instance it shows that the whole distance between two numbers $\small a_k - a_j = 2^S$ where S is the number of even transformations can never occur because there are always "odd Collatz steps" interspersed; even less can the distance between the minimal and maximal member of a loop be $\small 2^{N+S} = 2^m $, which were the whole length of the cycle in the counting of original Collatz-steps.
This formula describes pretty well important properties of the exponents of 2 in relation to the length of a "general cycle" , so it might be useful for the answering of your question. However - I can't relate anything in that formula to the asked property of a connection between the distance minimal...maximal member and 2^m where m is the number of all Collatz steps and actually is $\small m=S+N$ nd so I think there is none.
Addendum : It might be interesting to look at the existing cycles in the domain of negative odd numbers; they can also be identified using the procedere exercised above. The 2-step cycle was (Also$\small 2^{A+B} = (3+1/a)(3+1/b) $ and allowing negative a and b gives the example: $\small 2^{A+B} = (3-1/5)(3-1/7) = {14 \over 5} \cdot {20 \over 7} = {8 \over 1} = 2^3 $ which is a perfect power of 2 as required. Then $\small A+B=3$ and one of them must equal 1. In fact we have the 2-step-cycle $\small -5=T(-5;1,2) $
Finally: a short treatize using the notation here is in that article of mine)