National Basketball Association

Report: Garnett says he'll return

Published Jun. 30, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Big Ticket has bought a return fare to Boston.

Kevin Garnett has told the Celtics he will return for at least two more seasons, the Boston Herald reports.

The veteran power forward, who has played in the NBA for 17 seasons, including five with Boston, could be back for a third year, depending on the deal.

"The decision came down to whether KG wanted to keep playing," the Herald reports a source saying. "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 has averaged 19.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a game over his career, has seen decreased production while in Boston -- both to help the team balance its attack and because Garnett was fighting through various injuries.

This past season, however, he was as effective as ever, leading the Celtics to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals before Boston fell to the eventual NBA champion Miami Heat.

His return is key for how the Celtics plan to reload for future years.