Kevin Garnett: Boston Celtics Must Re-Sign KG After Revival at Center Position

Doc Rivers wants Kevin Garnett back. He told Comcast Sportsnet New England exactly that. 

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"Oh yeah, absolutely. We want him back," Rivers said. "I think it will come down to if he wants to play or not. But, you know, who knows? So many games and so many things can happen. Being around this as long as I have I know it is very emotional how the season ends. And a lot of players have made poor decisions on the end of a season, so we'll have to wait and see."

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Doc Rivers is dead-on—100 percent, no questions asked—accurate on this assessment. The Boston Celtics need to bring back Garnett. 

First, he's virtually found a second career as a center. In fact, you can make the argument that right now he's one of the top five centers in the NBA. Based on data form 82games.com, per 48 minutes he's averaging 25.1 points and 12.3 rebounds. His player efficiency rating of 23.1 is 8.1 points better than the 15.0 that his opponents have produced. 

Is there a better option in free agency at the center spot? Maybe you could argue that Roy Hibbert is, but he's restricted and Indiana is probably going to match any offers on him. Not only that, he's going to want more than a one-year deal. 

The No. 1 reason that the Celtics should keep Kevin Garnett is that there is no upgrade available this offseason. 

Secondly, is he is one of those players who has come to define his team. It's hard to believe he spent the majority of his career, and arguably his best years, with anyone else. As odd as he looked when he first donned Boston green, it's now hard to imagine him wearing anything else. 

His gritty and sometimes dirty style of play characterizes the entire team. Whatever you want to call it, the rest of the team has come to play the same way. Whether it's Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce or second-year player Avery Bradley, they all play the same sort of aggressive, hostile, antagonistic defense. It gets under other players' skin and it works. 

The third reason the Celtics should keep him around: He is the Celtics. 

Finally, I think with both he and Ray Allen (whose contract also expires this year), the Celtics can ink him for less than other teams would have to pay. Having won a ring together and with the desire to win another, there's a great chance that they would be willing to take less to play one more year. 

The Celitcs have the second-best winning percentage in the NBA since the All-Star break. They have Jeff Green (remember him?) coming back next year. They also have a ton of money to spend. If Garnett and Allen take pay cuts, the Celtics could add another player through free agency. 

Imagine adding Ryan Anderson or Kris Humphries to this team. Humphries might not sound like much, but he's a terrific rebounder and would shore up the Celtics' biggest weakness. 

The bottom line is that they should bring Garnett back because there's the potential for another ring in the "Boston Three Party" if he plays a full year at the center position. 

As a writer who had written them off earlier this year, I have to concede that the move to center has been an amazing one for both Garnett and the Celtics. He's shown new value to the team that should persuade the Celtics to keep him around a bit longer.

If worst comes to worst, Dwight Howard still looms in 2013. What's there to lose?