SATURDAY, 1:41pm: The Sixers have made it official, and team spokesperson Michael Preston announced via Twitter that the D-League affiliate will be known as the Delaware 87ers (Twitter link).
FRIDAY, 1:45pm: After sharing the Sioux Falls Skyforce with three other NBA teams during the 2012/13 season, the 76ers have secured an exclusive D-League affiliate that will be based in Newark, Delaware, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Berger reports that an official announcement is expected to come tomorrow, as the Sixers have scheduled a press conference for 1:00pm CST.
Berger adds in a second tweet that the Sixers' new D-League affiliate won't be an expansion team, but rather a relocation of a franchise that had been dormant. That echoes a report from last fall, which suggested the Sixers were targeting a suspended Utah Flash team. Owner Josh Harris had confirmed last week that the Sixers were in "advanced discussions" to secure an exclusive D-League affiliate.
When the Sixers officially announce the move, they'll become the 12th NBA team to have an exclusive D-League affiliate. These single-affiliate relationships have proven to be a boon for NBA clubs, allowing teams to more effectively oversee player development at the D-League level. The final four squads standing in the D-League postseason this year (Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Santa Cruz Warriors, Tulsa 66ers, Austin Toros) are all associated with a single NBA franchise (Rockets, Warriors, Thunder, Spurs).