The Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Developmental League will become the minor-league affiliate of the Sonics for the 2008-09 season, the NBA announced Wednesday as part of extensive changes made to the D-League’s affiliation system.

The NBA made changes to the D-League’s affiliation system to accommodate league expansion. The D-League will add two new franchises in Erie, Pa. and Reno, Nev. for the upcoming season, bumping the number of teams in the league to 16.

Despite the Sonics impending relocation to Oklahoma City, the NBA in a release on Wednesday didn’t make any mention of the 66ers potentially playing just 90 miles away from the Ford Center or provide any reason for the change.

Since 2005, the Idaho Stampede in Boise, Idaho had been the Sonics’ D-League affiliate along with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Sonics will now share their Tulsa affiliation with the Milwaukee Bucks.

NBA rules allow teams to send first or second-year players to their D-League affiliates up to three times each season. The 66ers were the D-League affiliate of the Hornets during their two-year stay in Oklahoma City.

The Sonics are scheduled to begin a six-day federal court trial Monday with the city of Seattle to determine when the team can relocate. The Sonics’ Oklahoma City-based ownership group is seeking to buyout the remaining two years of their KeyArena lease and move to Oklahoma City in time for the 2008-09 NBA season. Seattle officials are looking to bind the team to the remaining two lease years.