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.

Boston-based businessman Steve Belkin suffered a setback on Tuesday in his long-running attempt to buy out the other owners of the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers.

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals threw out a 2006 lower court ruling that Belkin is entitled to buy out his fellow Hawks-Thrashers owners at cost and take over the teams. Also at stake are the operating rights to Philips Arena.

The case was sent back to the Montgomery County (Md.) Circuit Court for further action.