Antonio McDyess is officially a member of the San Antonio Spurs, strengthening Protect the Paint’s prediction that the Spurs are the team to beat for 2010.

McDyess (and draft choice DeJuan Blair) joins Tim Duncan and Matt Bonner to give San Antonio an incredibly strong, versatile frontcourt. Duncan does everything. He might not rap or be covered in tattoos. He’s never assaulted anyone, so his street-cred is lacking, but he’ll go down as one of the best basketball players ever.

McDyess' shooting touch can now help a contender. (credit:picapp.com)

Bonner started last season, but most likely will come off the bench for the new Spurs. His 44 percent from beyond the arc brings defenders out of the paint freeing up space for Duncan. Blair—the 37th pick in last month’s draft out of Pittsburgh—is a rebounding machine. This is a man who can protect the paint.

Which brings us to McDyess. The number two overall back from the 1995 Draft averaged 9.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last year in 62 games with Detroit, starting out as a reserve and eventually gaining a starting position because of his steady play. He might not have the same psycho look in his eye Kurt Thomas (traded to Milwaukee) did, but immediately makes the Spurs a much better rebounding team and more physical.

Jefferson will be slashing teams apart at will. (Credit: picapp.com)

Throw in the acquisition of Richard Jefferson—excellent defender, gets out on the break, in his prime—and the Spurs add the athleticism they lacked last season.

Tony Parker and a healthy Manu Ginobili, along with Duncan, McDyess, and Michael Finley gives the team five players who at some point have been All-Stars. The Spurs head into the season with their deepest roster ever, and this is a franchise that has won four NBA titles.

PROJECTED ROTATION

STARTERS/RESERVES

Tony Parker/George Hill
Roger Mason/Manu Ginobili
Richard Jefferson/Michael Finley
Tim Duncan/DeJuan Blair
Antonio McDyess/Matt Bonner

The five reserves are better than the majority of the starting five for the rest of the league.

McDyess—who will be 35 when the season begins—might not be in his prime, but even though the Lakers added Ron Artest and the Mavs traded for Shawn Marion, it will be incredibly difficult for these two teams or anyone to get past the Spurs in 2009-10.

The combo of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker has won three titles already, and, provided the injury bug doesn’t bite, should make for at least one more.