Need advice on a unique situation

[maya has the knife]

Back in June in my second year dynasty league, a trade was agreed upon between two parties where a conditional pick was included. The details of the trade were:

Team A
Mikael Granlund
2013 1st prospect (#1)

to

Team B
2013 1st prospect (#5)
2014 1st prospect
2015 1st prospect**

** If team B finishes 6th-10th in 2015, he will also include his 2015 2nd round pick at that time.

Just recently, Team A decided to trade the acquired 2015 1st round pick. Team B feels that the conditional pick should become void as the 2015 1st round pick is no longer owned by the team who originally acquired it. Team A feels that it is irrelevant who owns the pick and that he should still be entitled to the conditional pick if Team B finishes 6th-10th in 2015.

I've never been in a situation like this before so I'm not sure which side to take. I can see merit to both arguments but am more inclined to side with Team A due to the fact that the conditional pick is attached to the deal as a whole, not the 2015 pick exclusively. For instance, would Team B be arguing about getting the conditional pick back if Team A had traded the 2013 or 2014 1st rounders instead? I'm not sure why he is exclusively linking the conditional pick with the 2015 1st rounder as the conditional pick was clearly included to sweeten the offer.

What do you guys think? Any advice or thoughts to help me out?

[Leumas]

I'm a keeper league commish and specifically forbid trades with conditions or strings attached because it just opens the door to WAY too many problems.

In this case you haven't given enough details. Is the 2015 2nd rounder attached to the 1st round pick or was it a condition of the overall deal?

[maya has the knife]

I'm a keeper league commish and specifically forbid trades with conditions or strings attached because it just opens the door to WAY too many problems.

Unfortunately I am finding this out the hard way.

Is the 2015 2nd rounder attached to the 1st round pick or was it a condition of the overall deal?

I asked this to the two parties involved and am waiting for a response. I would assume it was part of the trade, offered to help sweeten the deal. If it WAS attached to the 1st rounder, I may see things differently. Until I know for sure I cannot come to a conclusion.

[Doug Glatt]

Maya, I think the terms of the original deal have to be honored here. And even though the 1st rounder has been traded away, the condition should remain in force for the 2nd rounder. I dont think the fact that the 2015 1st rounder has been moved should give the other owner a pass on the obligations he agreed to. Further, if he wanted to put a rider on the agreement that voided the conditional 2nd rounder if the 1st rounder was traded away, then he should have specified that at the time of the trade.

[maya has the knife]

I went through my Trade Log and came across the following...

"If Team B's 2015 1st round pick is lower than #5 (ie: #6) Team A will also receive Team B's 2015 2nd round pick."

This does seem to attach the conditional pick to the pick that has been traded, but I'm still not sure the condition should be void because the pick was traded.

[Shoeless]

Ah correcting my post.

The 1st round pick even though owned by another team now, is still defined in it's placement by the finish of Team B's finish. I say Team A gets the 2nd round pick if Team A finishes in such a fashion as to make that traded pick good for a #5 or sooner in the draft.

[TavesSoul]

The condition has to be honored as there was no additional condition of the picks being attached to Team B still owning the pick, just the placement of the pick. Team B can do whatever he wants with the pick he already owns and still receive the 2nd rounder if Team A has a good year.

[newfcollins]

Is this the same deal as here? http://forums.dobbersports.com/showthread.php?t=160218

Anyways, I'll just re-iterate here what I said there. The ruling as worded says if the pick is in the bottom half then a second rounder is transferred. So the pick still needs to be sent if it's in the bottom half.

So team B should lose that second round pick regardless of whether the first round was dealt. Now, it's just the matter of whether that second round was attached in the second deal. We'd have to see the wording there to know for sure. But if it wasn't announced in the deal, then I'd say it wasn't included in the second deal.

[als_revenge]

2015 1st prospect**

** If team B finishes 6th-10th in 2015, he will also include his 2015 2nd round pick at that time.

I interpret this as: IF team B finishes 6th-10th in 2015, he will also include his 2015 2nd round pick at that time.

Why is this complicated? If he finishes between 6 and 10 in '15, he coughs up a 2nd rounder, as agreed.

[Lindros88]

In our league conditions may be placed on picks.. but those picks can't be traded while under those conditions. Once the conditions are lifted, that pick is free to be moved.

In this case, I feel that the conditions must be upheld regardless of who owns the pick, otherwise what's to stop someone from placing conditions, trading the pick, then re acquiring it at a later time.

All parties knew the pick was under conditions, so they're rolling the dice on the pick!

Hell, one GM has a 3rd rd under conditions that Ryan Whitney plays no less than 60 games this season.. Whitney has been subsequently traded, dropped, signed, waived and then resigned again.. either way, no matter who owns him, or if he's on the WW.. those conditions must be upheld!