Oh I don't like them either. I hate their gimmicky system, I hate watching James Harden milk foul calls all game long, and I hate Daryl Morey for leading the charge on over-saturating the league with three point shooting. CP3 going there makes them that much easier to hate. I was just thinking from their perspective, they made this deal trying to get better and I think it might ultimately be an act of self-sabotage. They had a good thing going and they're going to tinker with it and hope that lightning strikes twice. I think odds are good everybody looks back on this move in 3 years as the beginning of the end for the James Harden led Rockets era.
I don't like the fit either. I feel like they could have made a play for George instead with similar assets.
Trade #1: Gordon, Dekker, Harrell, & 2018 1st for George
Trade #2: Anderson/Future 1st for cap space
That gives them ~$24 mil in cap space with this team:
PG - Beverley / Williams / Taylor
SG - Harden
SF - George / Ariza
PF - Hartenstein
C - Capela / Onuaku / Wiltjer
They could then target a guy like Ibaka or Millsap with that cap space to round out the roster. Beverley, Harden, George, Ariza, Ibaka/Millsap would be an interesting death lineup to challenge the Warriors with (Beverley defends Curry, Ariza defends Klay, George defends Durant, Ibaka/Millsap defends Draymond).