Miami Heat Enter Into Single NBA D-League Affiliation With Sioux Falls Skyforce

The Miami Heat may have one eye on capturing their second straight NBA championship, but the second eye must still be focused in on longterm development as well.

The Heat and the NBA D-League announced that the first seed team in the Eastern Conference will enter into a single "hybrid" NBADL affiliation with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Per the new partnership, local officials, including Mike Heineman, will continue to run the business side of things for the organization, while the Heat will now oversee the basketball side of things.

Dating back to (at least) last fall, Heineman was reportedly considering finally being a part of the very type of affiliation that appears to be the ongoing trend as of late. After holding discussions with up to the three NBA teams (the Timberwolves being the second, the third one still undisclosed), the Skyforce have apparently finally found their match in Miami.

The Heat shared an affiliate with Sioux Falls, along with three other NBA teams, last season. Still, that gave them the opportunity to assign the likes of Dexter Pittman and Jarvis Varnado (the latter, whom, they originally called up from the NBADL squad to begin with) to play for the Skyforce.

Now, with full and sole control of basketball operations, the Heat will have the opportunity to fill out the squad with players who peak their curiosities, including those young guns who may fail to make the Heat out of training camp this coming fall.

The Skyforce have altered their logo (as can be seen above) and will adopt the overall Heat color scheme in at attempt to show unity between the two squads. As a result, both the Magic and Timberwolves will become part of new affiliations at a later date.