Illinois' Pruitt to play for Hornets in summer league

Posted June 26, 2008 11:00 pm

By Lindsey Willhite

The New Orleans Hornets traded away their only pick in the 2008 NBA Draft on Thursday night.

But that doesn't mean the Hornets weren't in the market to add rookies to their organization.

Before the draft even concluded, former Illinois center Shaun Pruitt reached an agreement to play for the Hornets' summer league team July 11-20 in Las Vegas.

That gives Pruitt the chance to audition for the Western Conference semifinalists, which feature just four post-oriented players on their current roster: Tyson Chandler, Melvin Ely, Hilton Armstrong and Chris Andersen.

If the 2004 West Aurora graduate can't earn a camp invitation from the Hornets or any other NBA team, there's a ready-made market for the 6-foot-9, 240-pound lefty's services.

"He probably doesn't know this," said Mike Naiditch, Pruitt's agent, "but he's already got offers from Spain and Greece and other places, too."

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