The latest reports of a Dwight Howard trade now include the Clippers as the elusive fourth team necessary to land the All-Star center in Brooklyn. If those reports are accurate, and I haven’t yet completely lost my mind, it appears as if the missing piece Orlando needs to complete its desired haul for Howard is a lottery-protected, first-round pick from Los Angeles.

With that pick from the Clips, the terms of the deal ESPN.com has reported would bring Brook Lopez, Luke Walton, Damion James, Shelden Williams, Armon Johnson, and three first-round picks to Orlando. Let’s think about that for a moment. The best center of his generation and one of the three most valuable players in the league is traded for one guy likely to be in an NBA rotation (Lopez), a bunch of roster fillers, and three picks guaranteed to be in the 20s.

To be fair, I have to reserve some judgment, only because I don’t know who Armon Johnson is.

What do NFL players want? Is it the guaranteed money? The performance-related bonuses? The chance to win a ring? Or do they just want someone to come to their emotional rescue?