Kevin Garnett Retiring? Celtics Star Reportedly Mulling Retirement From NBA

ESPN is reporting that All-Star Boston Celtics center Kevin Garnett is contemplating retirement after 17 years in the NBA.

Per the report, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said he spoke with Garnett recently, adding that the 36-year-old big man said he needs time to come to a decision regarding what he wants to do with basketball career going forward.

Ainge said: “Kevin and I had a good conversation last week and the conversation was mostly on how he needs time before he makes that decision. I think we’ll talk within the next week, but I’m not so sure that’s a decision day for him. He may want to wait and see what sort of team we have. I’m not sure.”

Besides the option of retirement, Ainge says that Garnett, whose contract with the Boston Celtics is up as of July 1, could possibly could possibly sign with another team but echoed the prevailing notion that he likely will be back in Boston if he decides to play another year.

“I know that he wants to come back. I know he likes Boston, and I know he loves playing for (coach) Doc (Rivers). He loves everything about the team and the city and so forth. I think that his decision will be, ‘Do I really want to play? Or do I not want to play.’ ”

Garnet, the 5th overall pick in the 1995 Draft NBA Draft, spent his first 12 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves before being dealt to the Boston Celtics in a blockbuster trade that included Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, cash considerations and multiple future first round picks.

While with the Celtics, the 14-time All-Star and 2004 NBA MVP averaged 15.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per contest while leading the team to a championship — its first since 1986 — in 2008.

Should he retire before the 2013 NBA season, Kevin Garnett will have finished with career averages of 19.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 blocks a game.

Hoops fans chime in: Do you think the 2012 NBA Season was Kevin Garnett’s last?