Kevin Garnett has decided to return to play for the Boston Celtics, according to several reports on Saturday.
Garnett agreed on a three-year contract worth $34 million. He was considering retirement but will come back on a contract at about half of the $21 million he earned last season.
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According to Boston.com, Garnett was eligible for an extension and the Celtics have been negotiating with the future Hall of Famer for the past two weeks.
Garnett seriously considered retirement but finished last season with such a strong push that he agreed to return, giving the Celtics another legitimate chance to compete for the NBA title.
Garnett averaged 15.8 points and 8.2 rebounds last season, but that improved to 19.2 and 10.3 in the postseason. Celtics Coach Doc Rivers moved Garnett to center after the All-Star break, and he flourished in that role.
According to Yahoo! Sports, Garnett was expected to draw interest from other teams, but his loyalty to Rivers made him likely to return to Boston once he decided to keep playing.
One NBA executive said Garnett would have only left the Celtics if they didn’t make him a solid contract offer.
The Boston Herald first reported Garnett’s intention to re-sign with the Celtics.
Free agency began at midnight Saturday. Players can officially start signing contracts July 11.
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