Ok lets clear up some terms here.
The pinion is what the drive shaft attaches too.
It sounds like your working on the hub assembly.
Just get new bearings. They are cheap.
Yes you can swap the hub assembly but you also need to swap the spindle if you do it. It would nto be a bad swap either. I think the 10bolt runs a little bigger wheel bearings the the D44. The brake caliper I thing will interchange between the two so you should be able to retain it.
http://www.coloradok5.com/8lugconversion.shtml
That is worth the read and has some good info on the bearrings and stuff. Ignore that it's a 8 lug. The imprtant part is it shows changing the spindle and you will need to do that if you use the hub off the 10bolt.