Hawks purchase D-League team, will begin play in 2019-20 season

The Atlanta Hawks officially announced the purchase of a D-League team on Thursday.

The Hawks have yet to determine the name of their new squad, but will begin play during the 2019-20 season.

"The D-League is going to become more and more important, and you’ll see that in the new collective-bargaining (agreement)," Hawks CEO Steve Koonin told Zach Dillard of FOX Sports South. "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."

Acquiring a D-League team has been a high priority for Koonin since purchasing the Hawks last year, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The D-League's 23rd team will play in a new, 3,500-seat arena located in College Park, Ga.