Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star spoke with Esteban Batista?s agent, Marc Cornstein, Thursday after the Boston Globe reported the Pacers are one of a handful of teams interested in the forward.

?The Pacers have expressed interest and we?re pretty close to (making) a decision,? Cornstein said.

Charlotte and Phoenix are also reportedly interested in Batista, who averaged 20.8 points and 12.4 rebounds during the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas. Batista, who would give the Pacers another big body in the front court, obviously likes the international game because he only averaged 1.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 8.2 minutes in two years with the Atlanta Hawks.