McDyess delaying retirement party

Antonio McDyess’ career with the Spurs isn’t over just yet.

The Spurs and the veteran power forward/center have agreed to extend the guaranteed-salary deadline on McDyess’ contract for the 2011-12 season.

McDyess’ deal called for him to be paid $5.2 million next season unless the Spurs waived him by midnight EST on Thursday. With the NBA owners officially calling for a lockout of the players, beginning at 12:01 a.m. EST today, the agreement allows the Spurs to wait for the league and its players union to hammer out a new agreement before they are forced to waive a player they still believe can help their team if he wants to continue playing.

McDyess has indicated on numerous occasions that he intends to retire but has not filed formal retirement papers. Were the lockout to shorten the season to 50 or 60 games, there is some thought inside the Spurs basketball operations department that McDyess might be persuaded to continue playing.

Even if the Spurs decide to release the 36-year-old veteran of 14 seasons, a portion of McDyess’ deal is guaranteed.

The Spurs now have until the first day of the next player free-agency period, whenever that may be, to decide whether to waive McDyess before his final season is fully guaranteed.

McDyess and his agent, Andy Miller, agreed to the extension on Thursday.

McDyess joined the Spurs for the 2009-10 season, playing in 150 games over the past two seasons, starting 66. In 73 games last season, he averaged 5.3 points and 5.4 rebounds.

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