The view from Charlotte - Three-team deal "dormant if not dead"

Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer takes a look Sunday at the unraveling of the three team deal that would have sent Brook Lopez to the Thunder and Lance Stephenson home to Brooklyn.  He says that the deal fell apart early Friday, and is " dormant, if not dead."

Bonnell wrote,

A knowledgeable source told the Observer Friday morning that the deal was dormant, if not dead. The Nets pulled away from negotiations and are now exploring other options to move Lopez’s contract.

Another Observer writer, Tom Sorensen, wrote that the Hornets "must now unmake their mistake" in signing Stephenson and thought the Hornets should have jumped at a deal that would have resulted in Jarrett Jack and Jeremy Lamb landing in Charlotte ... and Brook Lopez in OKC.

I would jump at that trade ... But a trade involving Stephenson would be less about who joins the roster than who leaves it.

The main reason the deal fell through was Billy King's --and others'-- reluctance to take on Stephenson and his mercurial personality.  The Nets have in the past taken chances on other talented but troubled players like Gerald Green and Andray Blatche but those two players were free agents who gladly signed vets minimum contracts.  Stephenson is owed $4.5 million for the remainder or this plus $9 million next year ... and a team option for $9.45 million in 2016-17.

Still, Marc Stein, among others, thinks any one of a number of Lopez-centered deals could quickly move forward.

Can't see it taking much for Nets to relaunch Brook Lopez discussions with OKC & others. They've gone too far down the path of trading him

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) January 16, 2015

• Trade falls through, but Hornets still have to get rid of Lance Stephenson - Tom Sorrensen - Charlotte Observer
• Three-team trade involving Hornets’ Lance Stephenson unravels - Rick Bonnell - Charlotte Observer