Vinicius Assigned To D-League 66ers

Thursday, March 1st 2007, 9:38 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The New Orleans Hornets have reassigned rookie forward Marcus Vinicius to their NBA Development League affiliate Tulsa 66ers, the team announced Thursday.

On Jan. 9, Vinicius was assigned to the D-League, but was recalled six days later after suffering a strained right Achilles' tendon in his first game with the 66ers. Before the Jan. 12 injury, he recorded 1 point and five rebounds in 13 minutes of action.

``Marcus has shown a great deal of promise throughout the season on the practice floor,'' said Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower. ``Now that he is once again healthy, assigning him to the D-League will allow him to receive the game experience that is crucial to his development.''

Vinicius was drafted by the Hornets in the second round, 43rd overall, of the 2006 NBA Draft. He has averaged 1.4 points in eight games with the team this season.

Vinicius will be included on the Hornets' roster, but will remain on the team's inactive list during his time in Tulsa. Peja Stojakovic, who underwent back surgery, and Brandon Bass also are on the list.

The 66ers are affiliated with Milwaukee and New York, as well as the Hornets.