When a team holds the 10th selection in a draft that becomes convoluted after the top three, what Eddie Jordan and the Washington Wizards are preparing to do sounds pretty smart.

"I think at that point, it's best to pick the best available player ? I've always felt that way," said Jordan, hired last week to replace Doug Collins as coach. "I live by that. When you see teams trying to fill a need and passing over a player because he doesn't fit the need, that can come back to haunt you."

When a team ends the regular season like the Wizards did ? losing 11 of their last 16 games to finish 37-45 ? obviously there are holes to fill. However, it doesn't require much searching to see that the Wizards' biggest needs in tonight's NBA Draft are at point guard and small forward.

If Tyronn Lue leaves via free agency, the Wizards once again would be forced to go at the point with Larry Hughes, who isn't comfortable there. And if Jerry Stackhouse chooses not to opt out of the final two years on his contract by the end of this month, he has made it known he wants to move back to two-guard, his more natural position, after playing small forward last season.