Oklahoma City team to buy D-League's Tulsa franchise

TULSA, Okla. -- Oklahoma City's new NBA team will buy its NBA Development League affiliate in Tulsa.

Clay Bennett, the chairman of the Oklahoma City team's ownership group, joined the team's general manager, Sam Presti, and D-League President Dan Reed for the formal announcement of the deal on Thursday.

When the purchase of the Tulsa 66ers is complete, Oklahoma City will be the third NBA team to own its D-League affiliate. The Los Angeles Lakers own the Los Angeles D-Fenders and the San Antonio Spurs own the Austin Toros.

Bennett said the NBA team will pay $2.25 million for the D-League franchise.

In June, the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics changed its D-League affiliate from the Idaho Stampede to the 66ers. The Tulsa team also had been serving as the minor league club for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Bennett said that by purchasing the D-League team, Oklahoma City will be able to oversee the 66ers' business operations and better develop Oklahoma City's younger players who might be sent to Tulsa.