Kevin Garnett will return to Celtics next season

He’s baaaaack.

As most expected after his strong playoff run, Kevin Garnett has shot down talk of retirement and told the Celtics he will return to the team next season, the Boston Herald reports.

The Herald has learned this morning that Garnett has informed the club he will be back.

The 36-year-old considered retirement, but ultimately decided to return for an 18th NBA season — and more. According to an NBA source and a source close to Garnett, the sides are working out the details of a deal that will be for at least two years and could possibly include a third.

“The decision came down to whether KG wanted to keep playing,” said one source. “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.”

Other reports suggests the new deal is three years, $34 million, or about $11 million a year. That seems about right, he had to take a cut from the $21 million he made last year. I would expect that it is a two year deal with a team option on the third (we will have to see what the buyout on that year is).

So the Celtics are heading into at least years six and seven of the “big three” era, and Garnett will be 38 if he stays for all three years of the contract. With KG back it means Boston remains in a “win now” mode and will be looking for players that can add some youth and athleticism, but are not full on projects. This is not rebuilding. Boston just drafted Jared Sullinger out of Ohio State, who could fit that mold and bring a smart game and some energy to the roster from Day 1. Also expect the Celtics to re-sign Jeff Geen for next season. They have a lot of room to move,

Bringing back Garnett also makes you wonder what kind of offer Boston will now make to Ray Allen.

This decision was expected after Garnett looked good last playoffs, averaging 19.2 points and 10 rebounds a game, with a PER of 20.5 in the playoffs. Most importantly during that run to the conference finals, Garnett was again anchoring the Celtics defense — when he would sit the Heat would go on runs almost every time.

Garnett has made $291 million in salary during his career and with this deal will move past Shaquille O’Neal as the highest earner in NBA history, reports Darren Rovell of CNBC.