Imagine if the pick landed at #2 and the NBA took it away from us just because it once belonged to the Lakers? That would be insane.
No, obviously hopefully any punishment would be levied on the Lakers and not on a pick they don't own.
fixed it for you.
there's no guarantee that if the league told the Lakers they'd be penalized by losing a pick or picks, that they'd only apply that to the picks they still own.
it would seem to be common sense but I would not put it past the league to take away that pick and notify the Lakers they need to utilize other assets to satisfy the trade that sent out their 2018 pick.
I'm a bit more confident than 'hopeful'.
Is there any precedent for the league (any league) taking away draft picks that have already been traded to another team?
It is a legitimate concern because I suppose anything can happen, but definitely far from likely.
I agree it's not likely. the likeliest thing regarding a first rounder, should the NBA go that route, is to take away one the Lakers still own. However, I wouldn't rule out the league not doing the likeliest thing and coming up with something that hurts a Laker trade partner rather than the Lakers.
this is just tinfoil hat conspiracy theory nonsense at its finest. The Lakers did bad so let's not punish them at all and punish someone else. I mean come on, are you thinking about what you are saying at all or just writing it without thought.
apparently putting more thought into than you are.
what is it you disagree with?
- my statement it's likely the league takes away the next first rounder the Lakers own? Keep in mind that this may not be deemed severe enough should the Lakers be found guilty of tampering. The don't have a pick until 2019 which would be after the season where they have enough cap room to supposedly add Paul George and/or Lebron. How damaging is it to the Lakers to give up a pick in the 20's when acquiring one or both of those players?
- my statement that I wouldn't rule out the league doing something else that could in the end hurt their trading partner more (however unintentionally). Say the league tells LA they have to give up a player on their roster now instead of the pick. again, I stated this was unlikely. I was originally thinking they'd give up Randle who was certainly worth less than that pick but the mention of Ingram or Ball is an option. I would still consider either of those players to be lesser prospects than that pick. While giving up either of those 2 prospects would hurt LA this year, it frees up more cap space to sign FAs next offseason (thus hurting other teams in the league) and whomever gets that player is, IMO, getting a lesser prospect than they would have had they gotten a top 5-6 pick next year.
I doubt the second scenario comes to pass but I wouldn't rule out the league doing something other than taking away the Lakers next first round pick. it's not a conspiracy theory as you're stating. it's simply stating there's other things the league could be thinking for a penalty.