As the new general manager in 2008, Kiki Vandeweghe was ecstatic when the Nets drafted Brook Lopez at No. 10 — about as thrilled as he was on his first draft night in Denver in 2002 when he acquired Nene in a deal with the Knicks.
And, Dwight Howard’s future impact aside, Vandeweghe believes Lopez and Nene could work well together if Denver’s hulk joins the Nets.
“I think they could complement each other,” Vandeweghe said yesterday from California, where he resides after his ill-fated coaching turn in the Nets’ horrific 12-70 disaster in 2009-10. “Nene is a very versatile player, a real force inside because he is so strong. He is a decent perimeter defender. And one thing — and this goes for Brook, too — he is a very underrated passer.
“Because Brook can and often does play outside, I think they would be a good fit. Nene really has improved over his career. He is a very good player.”
And he is also on the top of the Nets’ free-agent wish list, someone they are expected to meet with this week, along with Dallas center Tyson Chandler, as the NBA has lifted restrictions, permitting sit-downs starting today.
The Nets, league sources maintain, have been among the most aggressive suitors for Nene.
A power player is the Nets’ focus. They have made their calls to free-agent threes, including Tayshaun Prince, Andrei Kirilenko (whom owner Mikhail Prokhorov in 2007 tried to entice back to Russia from Utah), Grant Hill, Caron Butler (with knee injury reservations, but he is expected to meet with team brass this week, possibly Wednesday) and Boki Nachbar.
The plan is to fill a power spot, then look for a starting three. The Nets could renounce Kris Humphries (and still re-sign him) to pick up $6 million in cap space, or amnesty Travis Outlaw to get $7 million. Guard Jamal Crawford reportedly will speak with the Nets today.
Howard would need to be acquired via trade and the Nets won’t sit around on that scenario, so they are trying to work out a way to land Nene, who would likely command near max, if not max, money.
The Nets must land quality talent to appease Deron Williams and to have something positive heading into Brooklyn next year.
“When you’re a bad team, you have to overpay,” an opposing executive said.