I've put my affinity for the 2024-25 Los Angeles Clippers on the record before -- multiple times. Alas, my vision for them was even bigger than owner Steve Ballmer's Intuit Dome. They let me down, bowing out in a six-game first-round playoff series loss to the Denver Nuggets; now it's back to the drawing board.

Los Angeles enters a pivotal offseason following a successful yet disappointing campaign. The questions now become: How can the Clippers build off this, and where do they go from here?

The Ringer's Zach Lowe believes the Clippers will try to do something that "catches people off guard" this summer, regardless of how they proceed. He mentioned them as a potential suitor for Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant, who will certainly be getting traded, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Besides that, his comments sounded rather vague and up to interpretation, so we took that as a challenge to make Los Angeles' moves for them.

In this thought exercise, we'll outline the Clippers' roster and financial situations while assessing what assets they have to make changes. From there, let's craft their approach to taking the NBA by surprise in the coming weeks/months.

Everything for the Clippers begins with whether 11-time All-Star guard James Harden opts into his roughly $36 million player option for 2025-26. He has until June 29 to decide, but the outcome will have a trickle-down effect on L.A., whatever it is.

Having Harden on an expiring contract versus him testing the market and putting the pressure on the Clippers for an extension is a massive difference. Not only is the team at risk of losing The Beard, but meeting his long-term demands would compromise their crystal-clean payroll sheet for next offseason. Los Angeles has ostensibly positioned itself to be a massive player in free agency roughly 12 months from now. Their dedication to maintaining that flexibility could be put to the test here.

After Harden, sharpshooting veteran swingman Norman Powell is due for a raise following his career year. Again, do the Clippers want to further invest in their current core, knowing they'd be sacrificing significant cap space in the not-too-near future?

3-and-D reserve Amir Coffey is also slated for free agency and broke out in a big way like Powell, albeit relative to his standards. The Clippers can use his full Bird Rights as a bargaining chip to get creative and acquire a more expensive player. Moreover, Patty Mills and Ben Simmons are free agents, and Nicolas Batum has a $4.9 million player option that Los Angeles probably hopes he exercises.

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Considering they've mortgaged their future in previous years, the Clippers don't have much draft capital to work with. They have a maximum of two tradeable first-round picks, 2030 plus 2032, and they have swaps in 2030, 2031 or 2032 to offer.

The Clippers don't hold the rights to their next four first-round picks. The Oklahoma City Thunder will swap the No. 30 pick for their No. 24 selection and have L.A.'s 2026 unprotected first. Why, you may ask? It's part of the blockbuster 2019 trade that sent Paul George to the Clips and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to OKC. Woof.

In 2027, the Thunder can swap first-rounders with the Clippers again. Or, they can choose to do so with the Denver Nuggets (top-five protected). The Philadelphia 76ers have Los Angeles' 2028 unprotected first due to the Harden trade in 2023. Philly can also swap first-rounders in 2029 (top-3 protected).

Interior size, a secondary ball-handler/facilitator and youth. Powell and Kawhi Leonard each played up a position, manning the two forward spots. The Clippers have no true backup bigs behind standout center Ivica Zubac, unless they view Drew Eubanks as the in-house solution. Adding veteran point forward Ben Simmons midseason was a short-term fix, but he was phased out of their playoff rotation because of his shooting woes. They need someone who can be relied on to come in for Harden and keep the show running. Los Angeles was the oldest team in the Association this season; it's time to get younger.

Durant aligns well with Los Angeles' current timeline alongside fellow aging stars Leonard and Harden (assuming the latter isn't included in a swap). Yet, as Lowe alluded to, the Clippers presumably have no interest in including Zubac in any outgoing package to Phoenix. The Bosnian big man is nearly a decade younger than KD and coming off a career-best that merited All-NBA consideration.

Another elder statesman the Clippers have been linked to is Boston Celtics combo guard Jrue Holiday. While his two-way prowess and secondary playmaking are strong fits, this would further lean into having an older group. Plus, he's set to make $34.8 million in 2026-27 with a $37.2 million player option for 2027-28, which will be his age-37 season.

Instead of Durant or Holiday, the Clippers should make a move for Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans. If they truly want to be bold, this feels like a massive swing worth taking. Legal troubles and health issues can't be overlooked, but those factors might be baked into the asking price, presenting a high-risk, high-reward opportunity.

There was a report that the Pelicans hired new executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars with a mandate to deal Williamson. The Hall of Famer has since shut down that notion, but New Orleans' 2019 No. 1 pick seemingly always finds himself in trade rumors. Eventually, something must give, and the Clippers are an intriguing landing spot.

Williamson would allow Leonard and Powell (if he's not rerouted) to revert to their natural spots. He gives the Clippers another dynamic scorer and someone who can put the ball on the floor and distribute it. His improved defense also slots in seamlessly for a squad predicated on making stops. Turning 25 in July, the two-time All-Star would inject much-needed youth into their lineup.

Of course, it takes two to tango (sometimes more), so the Clippers must find a way to entice the Pelicans. But L.A. has a combination of friendly/expiring contracts, plus their future 2030 and 2032 firsts (which are valuable). If New Orleans wants to reset entirely and start fresh with its revamped front office, this is a prime opportunity.

With three years and roughly $126 million left on Williamson's contract, the Clippers could be hesitant, knowing they have big plans for next summer. However, the remaining time on his pact is no longer guaranteed annually until July 15. He missed more than 22 games in 2022-23, which triggered an injury clause, so Los Angeles would have ample time to pivot before if needed.