The Los Angeles Clippers were the better team for large portions of their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, and they will feel slighted that they are not the ones moving on to the next round. However, after a very tight series, the Nuggets slammed the door shut on the Clippers' season with a dominant 120-101 victory in Game 7 on Saturday in Denver.

This Clippers team was playing some of its best basketball near the end of the season, peaking with a dominant victory of their own over the Nuggets in Game 3 and another comfortable victory with their backs against the wall in Game 6.

Now, however, all of that is gone after this Game 7 loss, and the Clippers have to re-evaluate their roster moving forward. What the next version of the team will look like remains to be seen, but it will likely include both James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, according to Law Murray of The Athletic.

“It seems clear that the next stage, at least in the short term, will be centered around Harden and Leonard,” Murray wrote. “The Clippers are below the collective bargaining agreement’s first-apron threshold and intend to remain flexible with an eye toward the next two offseasons, according to league sources.

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“The first domino toward that is what happens with Harden, who has a player option worth $36.4 million for next season.”

Murray also wrote that the star point guard is “expected to be back” with the Clippers one way or another no matter what happens with that player option. Despite Harden's struggles in yet another Game 7, he carried the offense for much of the season and is still one of the best table-setters in the sport, even as his scoring comes and goes during the post-prime phase of his career.

Regardless of what the rest of the roster ends up looking like, the Clippers proved this season that they can contend with James Harden and Kawhi Leonard leading the way. LA was one of the best teams in the Western Conference during the second half of the season and has the chance to be one again next year.

Whether the Clippers try to retain their depth or make a trade for a third star remains to be seen, but it appears that at least the two biggest names from this 2024-25 run will be back for another crack at it next season.