Esteban Batista

They also didn't get another centre, initially. However, after they replaced Haislip with Pape Sow, they were also able to sign Esteban Batista from fellow Spaniards Fuenlebrada. The duo have now been handling the backup big man minutes for much of the season, in their very different ways; Batista, averaging 7.3 points and 6.2 rebounds in Euroleague play, does it with strength, whereas Sow, averaging 3.3/3.2 with 2.7 fouls per game, does it with athleticism. The centre hole had been filled.

- Esteban Batista * - Batista has until Sunday to opt out of the final two years of his contract with Fuenlebrada.

Esteban Batista - Batista's two years in the NBA saw him do nothing but offensive rebound and foul. He then won a place in fan's hearts for his performances with the Uruguayan national team against the USA, including an alley-oop dunk over Amare Stoudemire. Batista has been in Europe since leaving the NBA, with mixed results, and he continues to offensive rebound and foul. He couldn't get any shots off in the NBA and was too slow to keep up, but his jumpshot has improved in his time in Europe, which might help.

- Esteban Batista

Far from being the minimum salary steal that Celtics fans wanted him to be in the summer of 2007, Batista is out of the NBA and playing in Spain, after signing a three year contract with Fuenlebrada this summer. On the season, he is being highly productive, averaging 16.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, shooting 54% from the floor and 76% from the line. It's quite a good comeback year for Batista, who last year had a bit of a shocker. He started out with Maccabi Tel-Aviv, for whom he played in the 2007-08 season, but Maccabi had a regime change, and the new regime didn't want Batista. They let him go midseason and Batista signed with Triumph in Russia, but he then left there as well, claiming it was too cold. He saw out the season in Argentina, about whose temperature he didn't seem to complain. Now in a decent situation, where the minutes, money and humidity are all adequate, Batista is producing once again.