Certainly. However, it is more than just asking an existing portfolio company - I think that any solid VC firm would / should have skipped a potential-conflict-

Certainly. However, it is more than just asking an existing portfolio company - I think that any solid VC firm would / should have skipped a potential-conflict-of-interests-deal regardless of an opinion by said portfolio company. It is the VC side's due diligence after all.