This is totally reasonable advice IMO. TSOP clips are an option and work OK, but are expensive and fiddly. Rework onto a breakout board is usually the cheapest

This is totally reasonable advice IMO. TSOP clips are an option and work OK, but are expensive and fiddly. Rework onto a breakout board is usually the cheapest and easiest option, whether hot air or chipquik. Another sketchy option is deadbug to the chip in situ (using solder or microclips), or test points if you're lucky and they are provided. This can be quite questionable depending on how backfeeding power into the board via the chip's Vcc works out, but is sometimes possible.