Expanding the D-League is one of the NBPA's requests, and it appears the NBA will at least begin working to make sure every team has an affiliate, albeit, the process will be slow.

The Atlanta Hawks announced that they have purchased an NBA D-League team and will be bringing the squad to the Atlanta suburban College Park area in the 2019-2020 season.

The Hawks have a 3,500 seat arena under construction currently for the team that has yet to be given a name.

Hawks CEO Steve Koonin has long been working on a development league affiliate and released a statement with the official announcement of the team.

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“The D-League is going to become more and more important, and you’ll see that in the new collective-bargaining (agreement). Players have to play. Everybody from Tim Hardaway (Jr.) to Dennis (Schroder), they’ve done some time in the D-League. And so by owning our own team, instead of playing another coaches scheme, our coach will play Bud’s scheme.”

Carmelo Anthony recently expressed his desire to see more players developed with affiliate teams rather than lose them overseas.

Koonin’s remarks hint at a possible NBA and NBPA short-term compromise which will be revealed in the upcoming CBA negotiations.