76ers release Arsalan Kazemi; Hawks sign him for camp

The NBA's first Iranian-born draft pick is on the move.

The Philadelphia 76ers waived Arsalan Kazemi ahead of training camp on Monday, freeing him to try out for another team. That team is the Atlanta Hawks, who signed Kazemi to a training camp deal on Tuesday.

Kazemi is the 20th player on the Hawks' camp roster, with seven players on non-guaranteed deals fighting for a pair of roster spots.

In this case, the Sixers appear to have done Kazemi a favor, as he wasn't in their plans for the immediate future. The 25-year-old signed the one-year, non-guaranteed minimum contract teams are required to offer to retain the rights of second-round draft picks, a somewhat uncommon move but one that would give Kazemi control over his future in the event he didn't make the team.

The 76ers brought Kazemi in for summer league, where he impressed with his hustle and off-ball play.

Two years prior, they made Kazemi the first-ever Iranian-born draft pick in league history, having acquired the No. 54 pick from the Washington Wizards earlier in the draft. Hamed Haddadi, who went undrafted, was the league's first Iranian-born player.

Not blessed with great size for a power forward - 6-foot-7, but with a 7-foot wingspan - or elite athleticism, Kazemi plays a headier, more ground-bound, hustle-oriented game. His offense may not appear NBA-caliber, but he's posted excellent rebounding and steal rates, which can be predictive of future NBA success.

The 25-year-old spent last season in the Chinese Basketball Association, averaging 15 points, 13.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 3.2 steals while shooting 66.1 percent from the floor. In five summer league games this year, he averaged 3.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals, shooting 42.9 percent.