Arsalan Kazemi Offered One-Year Contract With Sixers

An already crowded Sixers training camp roster has added a rather surprising name.

According to his own Instagram, Arsalan Kazemi has been offered a one-year contract with Philadelphia, who drafted him with the 54th overall pick in 2013.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://instagram.com/p/7f5oQip2W_/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Khodaro shokr #kazemiworld #onestepcloser #worktwiceashard</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by AK14 (@kazemiworld14) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2015-09-11T17:19:18+00:00">Sep 11, 2015 at 10:19am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

No word on if Kazemi has accepted the deal (which I imagine he will), or the type of money involved. The Sixers have yet to officially announce the deal, although the picture was posted several days ago.

Kazemi played collegiately at Rice and Oregon before being selected by the Sixers. He then spent his first professional season playing in his native country of Iran with Petrochimi Bandar Imam, and most recently played for the Chongqing Fly Dragon in China's top league.

The 25-year-old joined the Sixers in Las Vegas for the 2015 NBA Summer League, but didn't do a ton to stand out. He averaged 3.2 points and 7.6 rebounds over the course of five games, and took enough charges for a lifetime.

Kazemi is a hard worker who has flourished overseas, but is certainly not an NBA player, and to see him coming to training camp when 20 other players are currently under contract (not including McConnell) is really unexpected. Philadelphia likely offered him one-year tender just to keep his draft rights, but there's no reason for Kazemi not to sign it.

Expect to see some clarification on the deal -- and if he does sign, a corresponding roster move -- relatively soon.