SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Life without Tim Duncan has officially begun for the San Antonio Spurs, even if they aren't quite ready to accept it.
For the first time since Bill Clinton was in the White House and "Men In Black" was a box office hit, the Spurs will open training camp without Duncan.
During the team's annual media day Monday, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich joked that Duncan is being fined daily -- "$2,500 a day, every day that he does not show up."
"I wasn't here with him that long so it's not as dramatic for me as it will be for everybody else, but it definitely feels like he should walk in any moment but he hasn't yet," Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge said.
Duncan retired in July after 19 seasons as arguably the greatest power forward of all time. A two-time MVP, Duncan led San Antonio to five NBA titles and helped set a selfless, team-first standard that is the envy of many sports franchises.
The transition from the Spurs' reliance on the Big Three of Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili began in earnest last season with the addition of Aldridge and the continued growth of Kawhi Leonard. San Antonio continued the makeover in the offseason with the signing of Pau Gasol, but that doesn't soften the blow of losing Duncan.
"I think it's going to hit me more tomorrow when we get on the court," Parker said. "We're definitely going to miss him. You can't replace a guy like that. He's been the face of the franchise for the last two decades. It's going to be weird. It's going to be weird without him, especially now that we have a lot of young guys, a lot of new faces and so it's going to be a lot of teaching to do at the beginning of the season."
Duncan will attend some practices to assist with coaching, but it will be up to Parker, Ginobili and the other veterans to acclimate the largest number of new faces in Popovich's 20 seasons as Spurs coach.
San Antonio added 11 new players to its training camp roster, including rookies Dejounte Murray and Davis Bertans and free agents like Gasol and David Lee.
"It's a lot of fun just to think about new bodies and new blood in the gym," Popovich said. "Not just the players, the staff. I don't know half of the names of the new staff we hired in the film room, interns and management and all that kind of thing. A lot of people walking around, both players and staff. It will be exciting who comes up with what ideas, who plays well and who fits together."
Gasol is the most critical addition. Entering his 17th season, the 7-foot center has won two NBA championships and made his sixth All-Star appearance last season while with the Chicago Bulls.
Stepping into Duncan's place in the starting lineup will be one of the biggest challenges of his career.
"Tim has been so exceptional and unique," Gasol said. "He is considered by most of us the best power forward that has ever played the game. So, I'm not coming here to fill his shoes and the spot that he left, but I'm here to make the best that I can to fit in as best as I can and to work with the guys that are here to win a title and work as hard as I can to do that. It's an opportunity, it's a privilege but at the same time, it's a huge challenge."
Gasol's presence will help ease the burden on Leonard and Aldridge.
The All-Star forwards led San Antonio to a franchise-record 67 victories last season before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.
"I think everybody has to take on that burden," Aldridge said. "It's not a one-player's job, no one can be Tim Duncan. It's going to be everyone's job."
