The New Jersey Nets (NBA) are looking at taking control of the Springfield Armor, their D-League affiliate, in an effort to promote and develop Russian basketball talent in the United States.
NBA teams who want more than just a simple affiliation with a D-League team can it in one of two ways: either enter into a “hybrid” deal where the NBA team controls operations, or outright ownership of the team. Three NBA teams — the Thunder, Lakers and Spurs — own their own D-League teams, while the Rockets operate the Rio Grande franchise under the hybrid model.
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