NBA: Kevin Garnett to return to the Celtics - reports

Kevin Garnett is not ready to call it quits just yet. The 36-year-old big man who came a game short of towing his Boston Celtics team to the NBA Finals this past season will re-sign with the club for three more years, according to multiple reports. The Boston Herald quoted a source who said, "The decision came down to whether KG wanted to keep playing and once he decided that he did, it was going to be Boston. "He wasn't going to leave Doc [Rivers] and those guys and play anywhere else." Garnett, who was drafted in 1995, seemed to have been revitalized by a switch to the center position this past season. In the playoffs, the 14-time NBA All-Star averaged 19.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.45 blocks over 36.9 minutes on the floor. Yahoo Sports' Marc Spears later confirmed the news, adding that Garnett's latest and likely last NBA deal would be worth $34 million, over three years. CBS Sports also confirmed the news of the deal.

Celtics to re-sign forward Kevin Garnett to a three-year, $34 million deal, sources tell Yahoo! Sports.

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) June 30, 2012

Kevin Garnett returning to Celtics, CBSSports confirmed. First reported by Boston Herald. Looks like 3-year deal. That's one year too long.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanCBS) June 30, 2012

Should Garnett indeed come back, that would greatly increase the Celtics' chances of re-signing another free agent, Ray Allen, who had been strongly considering a switch to the Miami Heat, the team that ousted Boston in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals.   "KG" will also likely play the role of mentor to the two young big men the Celtics drafted in this year's draft, namely power forward Jared Sullinger (21st overall) and center Fab Melo (22nd overall). - AMD, GMA News