The NBA Development League confirmed recently that the Utah Flash is for sale and will go on hiatus for the 2011-12 season. The Orem-based Flash is the D-League affiliate of the Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks.

"We thank [Flash owner] Brandt Andersen, the organization, and the Utah Flash fans for all of their support of the team over the past four years, and are actively working with the team to find new ownership," D-League president Dan Reed said.

The Golden State Warriors, led by Co-Executive Chairmen Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, have purchased the Dakota Wizards franchise in the NBA Development League from Bismarck Professional Basketball LLC, it was announced today at a press conference in Bismarck, North Dakota.

The Warriors will become the fourth NBA team to currently own and operate their own NBA D-League affiliate, joining San Antonio, Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Wizards will remain in Bismarck during the 2011-12 D-League season – the franchise’s 17th in North Dakota – and the club will explore options of a potential move to Northern California the following season.

The purchase of the Wizards will result in the ceasing of the Warriors’ D-League affiliation with the Reno Bighorns, which served as the team’s affiliate each of the last two years. Dakota will mark the Warriors’ third D-League affiliation (also Bakersfield Jam from 2006-07 to 2008-09) since the inception of the league prior to the 2006-07 season. The Wizards concluded the 2010-11 season with a 19-31 record and in fourth place in the eight-team Eastern Conference.

“We’re really excited about the opportunity to acquire an NBA D-League team and view it as a proactive decision,” said Lacob. “As we have previously mentioned, one of our goals is to provide our organization with any elements that we think could provide us an advantage. The fact that we will now operate our own D-League team – complete with our coaches and organizational philosophy – will put us in a better position to evaluate and develop potential NBA players, including any of our first or second year players who may spend a stint in the D-League. We think this is a critical step and another plus for our organization. And, we could not have found a more qualified candidate than Jim Weyermann to oversee the team from an operations standpoint.”

Many players are worried about whether a long lockout will squander much of the popularity and goodwill generated by one of the most high-profile NBA seasons in a long time.

Working at the NBAPA's Top 100 camp for elite high-school players, Lakers forward Luke Walton expressed concern about how the league's fan base would react to a possible work stoppage that prevents next season from starting on time. He said that was a bigger concern than being without a pay check.

The Los Angeles D-Fenders announced today that the team will return to operation in the NBA Development League, the NBA’s official minor league, for the 2011-2012 season after a one-season hiatus. The D-Fenders, owned and operated by the Los Angeles Lakers, will resume their single affiliation with the 2009-10 NBA Champions, and will play their home games at Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, Calif. 

“We are excited to continue our investment in the NBA Development League as it continues to evolve into a basketball and business asset for NBA teams,” said D-Fenders Chief Executive Joey Buss. 

“We’re thrilled to welcome the Los Angeles D-Fenders back to the NBA Development League,” said NBA D-League President Dan Reed. “The Lakers have been an outstanding partner with the NBA D-League for years, and their return further reinforces our growing significance to the NBA – especially considering they are now one of seven NBA teams with a ‘one-to-one’ affiliation. We’re excited about the terrific fan experience they plan to provide at Toyota Sports Center.” 

The Erie BayHawks, the New York Knicks and the NBA Development League announced today that the Knicks and BayHawks have entered into a single affiliation partnership beginning with the 2011-12 season. The Knicks will be the BayHawks’ sole NBA affiliate and will have control over the team’s basketball operations.

In a model similar to other minor leagues, this partnership, also referred to as the “hybrid affiliation,” allows for NBA teams to secure control over and cover the expenses related to the basketball operations of an NBA D-League team, while partnering with existing ownership, which maintains responsibility for the team’s off-the-court business operations.

The Knicks are the third NBA team to enter into a hybrid affiliation with an NBA D-League team, joining the Houston Rockets, with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and the New Jersey Nets, with the Springfield Armor. The other NBA teams with lone NBA D-League affiliates are the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs, who fully own and operate the Tulsa 66ers and Austin Toros, respectively, and the Dallas Mavericks with the Texas Legends. The Knicks’ partnership with Erie comes on the heels of the NBA D-League’s 10th and most successful season, while 23 percent of all NBA players have used the NBA D-League as a launching pad.

Allan Houston may not be ready to be a viable candidate to replace Donnie Walsh just yet, but the former Knick, who served the last season under Walsh as assistant GM, is clearly in mind for the future.

The Knicks today announced that Houston will serve as general manager of the D-League's Erie BayHawks, with whom the Knicks have formed an exclusive affiliation. The Knicks will run the basketball operations of the BayHawks. The Knicks will be one of three teams to have what is called a "hybrid affiliation" with a D-League team, along with the Nets (Springfield Armor) and Houston Rockets (Rio Grande Valley Vipers).

The BayHawks used to be shared by the Cavaliers and Raptors.