Melany M. November 17, 2020
100 Thieves has confirmed that former Golden Guardians jungler Can "Closer" Çelik and bot laner Ian Victor "FBI" Huang have joined the organization for the 2021 LCS season. Both players were still under contract with Golden Guardians, so 100 Thieves had to pay buyouts.
100 Thieves will look oddly familiar in 2021, as the organization seems set to pick up the majority of the Golden Guardians roster. Mid laner Tanner “Damonte” Damonte is still evaluating his options, but is reportedly likely to follow his Golden Guardian teammates to 100 Thieves. Support Choi "huhi" Jae-hyun, who is a free agent, might be rejoining 100 Thieves, the team where he used to play as a mid laner. The only player out of the picture is top laner Kevin "Hauntzer" Yarnell who is still looking for a team.
Instead of building up talent over time, 100 Thieves decided to acquire an already-built roster and roll with it. It’s a smart move by the organization, considering Golden Guardians' roster was one of the cheapest in the market. Teams attached to an NBA organization are allegedly getting smaller budgets, hence Golden Guardians’ decision to clean house. 100 Thieves had the cash to sign a proven core and will likely be able to put strong pieces around them.
The big question now is how top laner Kim "Ssumday" Chan-ho will fit in with his new teammates. All four players have established dynamics and synergies, and adding a new member could throw the entire thing off-balance. Fans of 100 Thieves ought to feel bullish on the team's potential.
Hauntzer wasn’t a big carry for Golden Guardians, playing the weak side while the rest of his team conquered the map. A new top laner might be exactly what this roster needs to reach its full potential. Hauntzer was considered the weak link of Golden Guardians, and opponents attacked the top lane regularly to take victories. Ssumday would be an upgrade for this roster, and he could be the missing piece for the team.
100 Thieves is yet to confirm the other two players, but odds are that it comes to fruition.
Who is playing for Golden Guardians?
As of this writing, Golden Guardians doesn't have anyone attached to its roster. The franchise is reportedly looking to be significantly more thrifty in the 2021 LCS season, which could see it lean on Oceanic players and some call-ups from its academy team. There are no rumors about possible Golden Guardians signings at the moment.