"Once he hangs up his sneakers for good, which could happen next summer, Boston Celtics forward Jermaine O'Neal wants to retire with the team that helped him become an All-Star.

O'Neal, who is out with a knee injury, said he wants to retire as an Indiana Pacer.

"Just because I'm not there anymore doesn't mean all the memories are forgotten," O'Neal said. "If it wasn't for the Pacers, the organization and the community, nobody would have probably known who I was. Anywhere in the world I go, they know me because of my Pacers days."

O'Neal spent eight seasons with the Pacers, during which he averaged 18.6 points and 9.6 rebounds. He played in five All-Star games and finished third in the MVP voting in the 2003-04 season.

Injuries played a significant part in his decline with the Pacers. He was traded to Toronto for T.J. Ford and the No. 17 draft pick, which the Pacers used on Roy Hibbert, in June 2008.

O'Neal, who signed a two-year deal with the Celtics in the offseason, is averaging 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in seven games with Boston.

O'Neal, 32, said he'll think about retiring next summer if the Celtics, who have the second-best record in the NBA, win the title this season."

O'Neal would like to retire as a Pacer - 12-20-2010