nate, I don't think it is shortsighted or foolhardy. I disagree with you and Dat and others who think placement in the draft is necessarily a big deal.
Number three is often not as good as number ten.Selected NBA Draft Picks, 2002-20112002 -- #3 Mike Dunleavy Jr.,
#10 Caron Butler Other picks in 2002: #2 Jay Williams, # 5 Nikola Tskitishvili, #6 DeJuan Wagner, #7 Nene, #8 Chris Wilcox, #9 Amare Stoudemire, #11 Jared Jeffries, #35 Carlos Boozer)
Amare was the best player. Caron and Boozer have better than solid Mike Dunleavy Jr. So has Nene.
2003 -- #3
Carmelo Anthony / #10
Jarvis Hayes 
Also in 2003: #1 James, #2 Darko, # 3 Wade, #4 Bosh, #6 Chris Kaman, #18 David West, #29 Josh Howard, #47 Mo Williams
This was the great draft! You definitely wanted 3 over 10 that year.
2004 -- #3 Ben Gordon / #10 Luke Jackson
Other 2004 picks: #5 Devin Harris, #7 Luol Deng, #9
Andre Iguodala, #15
Al Jefferson, #20 Jameer Nelson
Another year 3 was better than 10, but the best players were #15 and #9 by far, Jefferson and Iggy.
2005 -- #3 Deron Williams /
#10 Andrew BynumOther picks from 2005: #1 Bogut, #2 Marvin Williams, #4 CHRIS PAUL, #17 Danny Granger
Deron Williams is great and so is Andrew Bynum, but there are fewer great big men. Number 10 was better than 3 IMO. The best player probably is Paul with healthy. Still that year a trade down to 10 would have been good.
2006 -- #3 Adam Morrison /#10 Mohammed Sene
Other picks from 2005: #2 LaMarcus Aldridge, #6 Brandon Roy, #11 JJ Redick,
#21 RAJON RONDO, #24 Kyle Lowry, #32 Steve Novak,
#47 Paul MillsapThat year both picks 3 and 10 were busts. Rondo and Millsap are the best players. Trade down would have been superb that year.
2007 --
Al Horford / Spencer Hawes
Other notable 2007 picks: #6 Yi Jianlian,
#9 Joakim Noah, #12 Thaddeus Young,
#15 Rodney Stuckey, #16 Javaris Crittenton, #22 Jared Dudley, #23 Wilson Chandler, #24 Rudy Fernandez, #25 MO ALMOND, #31 Carl Landry, #35 Glen Davis
Number 3 all the way, but Noah is not that far behind Horford IMO. Another feasible trade down. Some pretty good depth in this draft. Glen Davis is better than where he was pick.
2008 --#3 O J Mayo /
#10 Brook LopezAlso from 2008: #1 Derrick Rose, #3 Russell Westbrook, #4 Kevin Love, #7 Eric Gordon, #17 Roy Hibbert, #18 Javale McGee, #24
Serge Ibaka, #25
Nikolas Batum, #34 Mario Chalmers, #35 DeAndre Jordan
Number 10 was the better player over #3. I thought it was crazy for Westbrook to go before Love, but now I see why, though Love is still better IMO. OKC really did well getting Hibbert and so did Portland with Batum.
2009 --
#3James Harden / #10 Brandon Jennings
Others from 2009: #4 Tyreke Evans, #5 Ricky Rubio, #7 Seth Curry, #17 Jrue Holiday, #18, Ty Lawson, #19 Jeff Teague, #20 Eric Maynor, #21 Darren Collison, #26 Taj Gibson, #37 DeJuan Blair,
#46 Danny GreenNow we see why Harden was selected before Evans. It took a couple years for Harden to emerge. Note a lot of serviceably good PGs were selected 10 and later. Lawson IMO is just as good a Wall right now or better. Holiday is not far behind.
2010 -- #3 Derrick Favors /
#10 Paul GeorgeOthers from 2010: #1 John Wall, #5 DeMarcus Cousins, #7 Greg Monroe, #17 Kevin Seraphin, #18 Eric Bledsoe, #19 Avery Bradley, #23 Trevor Booker, #27 Jordan Crawford, #39 Landry Fields
Once again, ten is arguably better than three. Favors isn't there yet but I think he will be good in a couple years. George is better but Monroe IMO is the best player from this draft. Cousins is really solid. Half the Wizards are from this draft.
2011 -- #3 Enes Kanter / #10 Jimmer Fredette
Others from 2011: #1 Kyrie Irving, #2 Derrick Williams, #4 Tristan Thompson, #6 Jan Vesely, #7 Bismack Biyombo, #8 Brandon Knight, #9 Kemba Walker, #11 Klay Thompson. #15
Kawhi Leonard, #17 Iman Shumpert, #18 Chris Singleton,
#22 Kenneth Faried, #25 Marshon Brooks, #28 Norris Cole, #34 Shelvin Mack, #36 Jordan Williams,
#38 Chandler Parsons, #44 Charles Jenkins, #45 Josh Harrelson
Both 10 and 3 are not ready from 2011. Kanter is a great rebounder but he is very slow. This draft the Wizards board blew away NBA scouts. Many of you and I knew about Faried and Leonard.
nate, the reason I did this post was just to show you guys who seem to think trading down is ridiculous that it isn't necessarily true at all.To make a long story short, I like Lillard, Waiters, Zeller, Jeremy Lamb, Terrences Jones and Ross, Harkless and others. This board has already pegged Crowder, Denmon, Green, and I like Will Barton. This draft is going to be a draft with an all star or two coming from outside of the lottery. Possibly, two or three STARTERS will come from the mid-20s to round two. No, make that a couple starters probably will come from round two.
I would make the right trade down to get rid of Blatche even if it meant passing on Beal or MKG.
He is going to make a safe pick this time, it will be either Barnes or Beal.
