I agree with a lot of what you said, but speaking of ignoring.... you're ignoring the fact many of us were wondering what the hell NJ was doing. And there were a lot of people in the national media questioning Billy King over this as it happened, besides the giddy Blazers fans (especially because of where NJ was in the standings at the time and the fact it was only top-3 protected). So, while I understand why NJ did it and thus I agree with a lot of what you said, there really isn't much revisionist history there for a lot of people. They saw the likelihood this would happen just as it did. The part that was not expected by so many was the whole part about drafting a guy that would go on to become a superstar.
I think NJ's biggest mistake was the belief that the 2012 draft was only 3 players deep. They were actually pretty close in that regard. After 5 years, that draft could best be described as 3.5 players deep.
Three for sure, with Dame, Anthony Davis and Draymond Green. Four, if you include Andre Drummond. Those are the only four players from that draft that have become all stars (to date).
If you sort that draft by VORP, there is a pretty big drop off after the top 3:
Damian Lillard: VORP = 15.2
Anthony Davis: VORP = 14.5
Draymond Green: VORP = 12.5
Andre Drummond: VORP = 6.3
If you sort it by WS, the big drop comes after the top 4:
Anthony Davis: WS = 39.5
Damian Lillard: WS = 37.3
Andre Drummond: WS = 30.5
Draymond Green: WS = 26.1
Harrison Barnes: WS = 18.6
The problem is those 4 players were taken 6, 1, 35 and 9. So had NJ kept the pick they would have had their choice of Lillard, Drummond, Draymond Green or Harriosn Barnes. But, hindsight is 20:20, so NJ probably wouldn't have taken anyone that would have turned their franchise around with that 6th pick. They probably would have gone the safe route and taken Barnes, a solid role player, but not a superstar.
If you're going to bash NJ for trading the pick that became Damian Lillard to POR, you should probably also bash them for trading the pick that became Draymond Green to GSW. That's right. NJ traded away the picks that ended up being 2 of the best 3 players taken in the 2012 draft. Of course, no one expected Draymond to be a future all star and key part of a championship team, but it still has to be painful for Nets fans to look at all the potential talent Billy King pissed away while he was their GM.
BNM