The Brooklyn Nets introduced the branding for their D-League team, the Long Island Nets, which will officially begin playing games in the 2016-2017 season.
The team will serve as the development league affiliate for the Nets, and they will own and operate the team. The Long Island Nets are the league’s 22nd D-League team.
Nets general manager Sean Marks, who was the general manager of the San Antonio Spurs D-League affiliate Austin Toros, stressed the importance of development through a D-League affiliate, particularly for a team in Brooklyn’s draft position.
“As many of you are probably aware, we’re short of one or two draft picks,” Marks quipped.
The logo is similar to the circular Brooklyn Nets logo, with red and blue trim as a throwback to the team’s days in Long Island during the ABA. The word “Nets” in script inside the logo is a similar throwback to the team’s “NY Nets” logo.
Marks added that the team has a preliminary list for their D-League coaching staff, but no coaching hires had been made. The team did annoucne that Alton Byrd, formerly of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream, was hired as Vice President of Business Operations.
The D-League team will practice at the HSS Practice Facility in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and will play at Barclays Center during the 2016-17 season before moving to Nassau Coliseum, currently under renovation, in 2017-18.
The team will renew its one-to-one D-League affiliation status once again, after relinquishing the rights to the Springfield Armor to the Detroit Pistons following the 2013-14 season.
