China\u2019s most dominant organization has finished its most recent roster shuffle, completing a drastic set of changes that saw two players exit the starting lineup and the veteran duo of Emo and Pyw fill those spots. <\/p>
But that still leaves one big question hanging over LGD Gaming\u2014Will Xiao8 return to coach this altered squad?\u00a0<\/p>
Despite notching the organization\u2019s record sixth top-three finish at an iteration of The International<\/a>, LGD did not just want to run things back for the 2024 season. On Nov. 11, the team transferred star midlaner NothingToSay to Invictus Gaming, leaving its captain y\u2019 as the only player to have been with the team for multiple TI appearances.\u00a0<\/p>
It took a few weeks before the team made its next move<\/a>, but now management has brought in former Invictus Gaming players Emo and Pyw. Both are veterans in the Chinese scene\u2014though they only have a combined three TI appearances between them, none of which while they were on the same team. Pyw only joined iG midway through last season while Emo has almost exclusively played for the organization or one of its subsidiary rosters since entering the competitive scene in 2017. To make this move work, LGD has also shifted its Lin “planet” Hao to the offlane less than a year after the team signed him away from EHOME.\u00a0<\/p>
Rumors, and jokes<\/a>, about the Director leaving LGD after three years of service have been flying since TI12 ended in October, but most other teams have already filled their rosters out and hired a coaching staff too. With how well the team has performed under his guidance, it’s unlikely he will leave unless it is to join another established roster and organization. As of now, no team seems to fit that bill, but there is a chance wherever Somnus ends up after he and the core of Azure Ray departed<\/a> could be an enticing landing spot if the coach does want a change of scenery.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
