The 76ers expect center Samuel Dalembert to be ready for training camp despite the news yesterday that he has been fitted with a hard cast for a stress fracture in his left foot.

The injury occurred while Dalembert played for Canada last month in the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament in Las Vegas. He played in all eight games and complained of pain after the final one, a 72-66 loss to Puerto Rico on Aug. 30.

"We will closely monitor Sam's status over the next three weeks, but we anticipate that he will be ready to return to the court in time for the start of training camp," Billy King, the Sixers' president and general manager, said in a statement yesterday.

The Sixers' training camp will begin Oct. 2 at Duke University.