Ray Allen officially returns to the Miami Heat for the 2013-14 NBA season

Great news, Heat fans: Jesus Shuttlesworth is officially returning.

The Miami Heat has just announced that Ray Allen is indeed exercising his player option for the 2013-14 NBA season and is ready for another run at a title in his 18th year as a professional NBA player. Rashard Lewis and James Jones had already announced their plans to use their player options on Tuesday, adding a little bit of suspense as to what Allen was going to do.

Here's the highlights on his one season with the Heat and his career, via the official team press release:

Allen, a 17-year NBA veteran, appeared in 79 games with the HEAT this season, averaging 10.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 25.8 minutes per game. He led the team in free throw percentage (.886) and both three-point field goals made (139) and attempted (332). He ranked second on the team in games played and three-point field goal percentage (.419). During the HEAT's successful playoff run, he averaged 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 24.9 minutes over 23 games.

Allen has appeared in 1,227 games (1,140 starts) throughout his NBA career, and has averaged 19.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.14 steals and 36.2 minutes, while shooting 45.2 percent from the floor, 40.1 percent from three-point range and 89.4 percent from the free-throw line.