Could the Rockets really get Gordon Hayward and Chris Paul?
Yes,but it won't leave much.
(BTW,I believe the CP3 rumors of him leaving are to put pressure on Clips to get Carmelo.)
Get Hayward first as a Free Agent,requires @ $30mil of Cap Space.
As roster stands,they have @ $5.7mil in Cap.
1) trade Montrezl for Sac's #34 and part of their Trade Exception.
2) renounce rights,decline contracts for B Brown,K Wiljer,T Williams,I Taylor
3) between July 1 and July 7 trade Anderson to team w/Cap Space w/2018 First as price to pay for a Second Rd pick.(Hint,Philly needs shooters and has a ton of space.)
With Nene's Cap Hold and the 1 roster Cap Hold,this gives the Rockets a hair over $30mil,the amount needed to sign Hayward.
Sign Hayward
For Chris Paul,a sign-n-trade is required. Since he can sign for $35mil,the Rockets need to come w/in $5mil of that.
Ariza,Bev,Gordon,Lou Williams.
Clips get a SG who's younger and cheaper than Reddick,their first pro grade SF in ages and let Bev and Rivers fight it out for starting,back-up PG. Lou is easily tradeable.
What's left?
Paul,Harden,Hayward,Capella
Dekker,Nene(maybe),Onuaku
Capped out w/only the Seconds,minimums and Vet mins to fill out roster.
Note that while Harden,Capella,Dekker,Onuaku,Paul and Hayward comes out to @ $98.7mil in salaries and the Cap is @ $102mil,the NBA charges Roster Cap holds of @ $562,000 if the roster doesn't have some combo of 10 players under contracts,First Rd picks or player Cap Hold. Renouncing Nene's cap hold would allow the Rockets to keep Taylor and Williams-or Wiljer,but w/2 Cap Holds at @ $1.1mil,the Rockets would be over Cap.
Renouncing Nene along w/the 4 young'uns would still leave the Rockets at @ $101mil.
Conclusion,doable but not realistic. 1 yes,not both.