One of the more intriguing aspects of the Dakota Wizards' move to the NBADevelopment League is how the team's affiliations with the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls will work.

How much influence would they want to have over Dakota's personnel? Style of play? Would their be conflicts between the two teams?

Although things could certainly change if and when either NBA team assigns a player or players to Dakota, both Washington and Chicago seem to be favoring a laid-back approach.

Dakota coach Dave Joerger says both teams have been easy to work with thus far.

Washington - which is more likely to have players to send to Dakota this year - has not surprisingly taken more of an initiative to establish a connection with the Dakota Wizards.

"Washington flew us out. We met in Orlando for a pre-draft camp and introduced to us their summer league staff,"Joerger said. "They've really helped develop a relationship."

Tommy Sheppard is the Washington Wizards' vice president of basketball administration and Dakota's primary contact with the team. He says creating a rapport with the minor-league affiliate is necessary.

"You've got to learn about every person that touches your organization, and we want them to know about us," Sheppard said. "They get a chance to see who the potential players are that we might assign to the D-League.

"… Dave has done it all - evaluate talent, assemble talent and go out and get talent,"Sheppard said. "Being associated with him is a great gift to have. … He's a super-bright prospect down the road for the NBA."

So far Joerger's contact with the Bulls has been done by phone. Joerger said the interaction with Chicago has been positive, as well.

Gar Foreman, the Bulls director of player personnel and Chicago's point man for the D-League, agreed with that assessment.

"We're very comfortable with (the Wizards) for player development and with their coaching staff."

Last season marked the first time that NBA teams had formal affiliations with the D-League. To be eligible for assignment, players must have fewer than two years of professional experience.

Though not every big-league club took advantage of the opportunity provided by the D-League last season, both Washington and Chicago did.

The Wizards sent two players - Peter John Ramos and Andray Blatche - to their affiliate in Roanoke. Ramos played 43 games for the Dazzle, while Blatche's stint was shorter. Sheppard said it was a beneficial experience for all parties.

"It was a very positive experience," Sheppard said. "There is no guarantee when you draft a young player that he is going to be ready to come to your team. They need to play, and unless your team is very bad, they probably won't.

"Instead of having a young guy sit on your bench, the D-League is a hell of an alternative."

The Bulls used the D-League once last year, sending Eddie Basden to Tulsa, where he played 14 games with the 66ers.

Foreman was very happy with the way Basden's assignment went before he was recalled by the Bulls.

"When we sent Eddie down, (Tulsa coach) Joey Meyer was in constant contact with us," Foreman said "They made a real effort to work on his weaknesses."

Last season Washington shared the Roanoke affiliate with two other teams and Chicago shared Tulsa with three other clubs. Both Sheppard and Foreman said that didn't cause any problems, and they don't foresee any conflict this season with the Wizards.

"The only way I could see trouble is if both teams assigned a player at the same position and became a matter of minutes," Joerger said.

The Bulls do have a couple of rookies - Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha - who are technically eligible for D-League assignments, but Foreman confirmed that there was virtually no chance either first-round pick would spend any time in Bismarck. If the Bulls assign anybody to the Wizards this year, one possibility is second-year center Martynas Andriuskevicius.

Washington has more potential candidates for assignment. Coach Eddie Jordan told the Washington Post that Blatche, center James Lang and guard Donell Taylor could potentially move from the big-league's Wizards to Dakota's.

"What it comes down to is whether or not somebody is going to crack our rotation," Sheppard said.