Report: Rockets claim Arsalan Kazemi off waivers

The Houston Rockets have claimed Arsalan Kazemi off of waivers, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

Houston's roster will now stand at 20, with Kazemi being a long-shot to break camp with the team. Failing that, he could be tabbed for duty as an affiliate player in the D-League, though the Rockets will have to hope another team doesn't claim Kazemi on waivers if they try to sneak him through.

Kazemi was waived by the Atlanta Hawks over the weekend, less than two weeks after they signed him to a training camp deal. He appeared in one preseason game with the Hawks, grabbing one rebound in three minutes.

Prior to that, Kazemi had been waived by the Philadelphia 76ers after signing his required tender, a move that forced the Sixers to either roster him or release him and make him an unrestricted free agent.

The 76ers brought Kazemi in for summer league, where he impressed some with his hustle and off-ball play. Two years prior, Philadelphia 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 NBA'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, Kazemi averaged 3.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals, shooting 42.9 percent.