Miami, FL – The Miami Heat have entered into a single affiliation agreement with Sioux Falls of the NBA Development League.
The Heat will be the only team affiliated with the Skyforce and will have full control of the team's basketball operations, while the existing local ownership will maintain primary responsibility for off-court business and community initiatives in a "hybrid" partnership.
"We have been working with the Skyforce for four years and feel that it is one of the most professional organizations in the NBA Development League," said Heat president Pat Riley in a statement Monday.
The Heat will join the Brooklyn Nets (Springfield Armor), Boston Celtics (Maine Red Claws), Houston Rockets (Rio Grande Valley Vipers), New York Knicks (Erie BayHawks) and Portland Trail Blazers (Idaho Stampede) as NBA teams with "hybrid" NBA D-League affiliations.
Sioux Falls joined the NBA D-League in 2006 after serving stints with both the International Basketball League (2000-01) and the Continental Basketball Association (1989-00 & 2001-2006). The Skyforce captured two CBA championships (1996 & 2005) and three CBA division titles as well as making three postseason berths in the NBA D-League.
The Philadelphia 76ers had also worked with Sioux Falls, but purchased their own D-League team in April.
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