The 7Li + 144Sm elastic scattering angular distributions over the energy range of 21.6–52 MeV are reanalyzed utilizing various interaction potentials. The analysis seeks to probe the consistency of the implemented potentials in representing the considered data and investigate the cluster nature of the weakly bound 7Li projectile to better understand the impacts of 7Li breakup on the elastic scattering channel. Strong coupling to the breakup channel has a substantial impact on elastic data and reproduces a repulsive dynamical polarization potential, which drastically diminishes the real potential strength. This reported impact was simulated by introducing a semi-microscopic repulsive DPP and by implementing the method of continuum discretized coupled channels.