1. Is this the end of the Spurs as we know them?

The future of the Spurs’ venerable Big Three has never been in more peril. Tim Duncan has faced the same sort of stay-or-go decision each of the past three summers, but this one feels different. He has limped across the 40-year-old threshold, both his knees are sore and the league is going smaller and smaller — a bad combination for an aging big man. Duncan was still a key component of the Spurs’ top-rated defense, and the team rebounded better with him on the floor than without him, but whether the future Hall of Famer wants to return in a role sure to be further diminished next season remains to be seen. Manu Ginobili, 38, is still the heartbeat of the Spurs’ bench unit, and could return in the same capacity next season. It would be fitting, however, if a final turn with Argentina’s Olympic team this summer serves as Ginobili’s exit from the basketball stage. This much is apparent: There is a good chance that, when the Spurs return in October, Tony Parker is the only member of the NBA’s longest-running Big Three left in San Antonio.

2. How much change does a 67-win team need?

As much as their six-game ouster at Oklahoma City seems to point to another summertime makeover, the Spurs did set a franchise record for wins last season, including a 40-1 mark at home. It’s fair to wonder how much general manager R.C. Buford and other decision-makers want to tinker with the roster that led to that kind of success. In a way, the answer to the previous question will guide the thinking here. If Duncan and/or Ginobili decide to walk away, there will be holes to fill in both the starting lineup and on the bench. The Spurs will try to make a play for some of the summer’s biggest fish — including Kevin Durant, Al Horford and Mike Conley — but there also could be other available options. Pau Gasol, at 35, is older than some of the other names on the market, but will come at a more economical cost. Coach Gregg Popovich said Friday he would like to inject the bench with more youth and athleticism, so look for the Spurs to make moves in that direction .

3. Can the “beautiful game” co-exist with “murder ball?”

The Spurs’ offense went through something of a transformation this season, looking to take advantage of the strengths of Kawhi Leonard and Aldridge, their two top scorers. They ran more post-up plays than any team in the NBA, and led the league in field-goal attempts from 15 to 19 feet. That resulted in a dip in the Spurs’ assist numbers, which ranked sixth in the league (21.3 per game). The balance became even more skewed in the playoffs against Thunder, when the Spurs accounted for 19 assists or fewer in each of their four losses. Outside of personnel questions, the most pressing issue of the offseason will be a find a way to continue to maximize Aldridge and Leonard without scrapping their identity as the ball-sharing beautiful gamers.

4. Is Boban Mania dead in San Antonio?

A 7-foot-3 fan favorite, Boban Marjanovic could accurately be described as the most popular rookie in Spurs history to average 5.5 points per game. In limited action, however, the Balkan behemoth also showed signs of being a capable backup center in the NBA. Newsflash: Even in the era of small-ball, those guys earn money. Marjanovic will be a restricted free agent, meaning the Spurs can match any offer he receives. Furthermore, an arcane salary rule restricts the amount Marjanovic can earn next season to a maximum of $5.6 million. Still, Marjanovic’s future with the team is unclear. Teams competing for Marjanovic can offer him a heavily backloaded deal that skyrockets in the third year. At that point, the Spurs would have to think hard about matching. Use of this tactic — the so-called “a poison pill” — is how Houston snagged restricted free agents Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin from their respective teams in 2012.

5. Will the draft be of any immediate help?

Probably not. The Spurs hold the 29th pick in this year’s Pick-A-Palooza. They do not own a second-round pick, having traded it to Sacramento last summer for the now-departed Ray McCallum. Yes, the Spurs once snagged Tony Parker late in the first round (he was 28th), but the best they can logically hope for here is a Kyle Anderson type - a late-bloomer to develop for the future. The Spurs might have better luck finding reinforcements for next year by looking to past drafts. They still hold the rights to several players marinating overseas, the cream of which is Davis Bertans, a 6-foot-10 sharpshooter from Latvia. Bertans, 23, starred in the Spanish League this season, but also comes with injury risk. He has torn his right ACL twice since 2012.

jmcdonald@express-news.net

Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN