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When the Nets brought Kiki Vandeweghe aboard as Rod Thorn's special assistant in December, they noted he was hired through the draft. Well, they didn't wait to promote Vandeweghe to the team's general manager.
And now Vandeweghe says he has no intention of waiting to get the Nets back to a championship contender level, although it's not going to be easy.
"We've still got a lot of work to do, which I'm excited about. I'm looking forward to getting right at it," said Vandeweghe, whom the Nets officially named GM yesterday, rewarding him with a two-year deal worth about $3 million.
Vandeweghe, who adopts the position formerly held by Ed Stefanski, said the upcoming draft - where the Nets theoretically pick at No. 10 (could change) and 21 (from Dallas) - is the main focus although a developmental "culture" and resigning the team's free agents ("we'd like to keep everybody") are priorities. But everything is geared toward getting the Nets back to title timber after they missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
And just making the playoffs is not good enough, said Vandeweghe, noting decisions will be made together with Thorn, who maintains the final say.
"Both of us really believe you have to pick a direction, you have to know where you stand and do things that fit that direction. Neither one of us likes Band-aid solutions," Vandeweghe said.
"Just making the playoffs is not where we want to be," said Vandeweghe, instrumental in engineering the blockbuster trade that shipped Jason Kidd to Dallas while importing Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop (one of the free agents) plus additional pieces including the Mavs' first rounder.
"All of us want to end up a team that can compete at a championship level, as good as anybody. So you give yourself a legitimate chance to win a conference title, to compete at a championship level," said Vandeweghe, who squashed notions that he was ever a serious contender for the Knicks. "That's the type of product we want."
Vandeweghe, claiming it was way too early to forecast the Nets' draft thinking, stressed improvement must also come from within, not merely from without. Trades and the draft and free agency are vital, but so is developing what is on hand - no matter how it's done.
"With the salary cap restrictions, it's an environment where you have to foster improvement," he said.
The Nets' key free agents are Diop and Bostjan Nachbar, both unrestricted, and restricted free Nenad Krstic.
fred.kerber@nypost.com
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