If we had to choose the team that fell the fastest this past spring, the answer is not the struggling Team Liquid but rather Griffin. From the position of a “new challenger” in the LCK, they plummeted straight to the bottom of the spring 2020 standings and subsequently failed to advance through the promotion tournament. Disappointment is perhaps the only two words to describe Griffin at this moment.
The interesting part here is that instead of finding ways to play better and return to the LCK, Griffin seems to be on the brink of disbandment. Numerous rumors circulating on Korean League of Legends forums have been translated by Redditors, mostly discussing Griffin’s dark future. It is even mentioned in those posts that the two brightest stars of Griffin’s current lineup, Tarzan and Viper, have found new homes or are considering playing abroad.
[Rumor] Unconfirmed news about Griffin
Note: This article is not an official source.
1. Griffin will disband. They might pay to participate in the upcoming LCK franchise, but no one believes they will pass the valuation of Riot Korea (likely an evaluation of whether an organization qualifies for franchise participation).
2. Griffin’s Sword will not retire. He will go to a team that shows faith in him, and it won’t be a team in the LCK.
3. Griffin’s Viper to Hanwha Life Esports seems to have been agreed upon.
4. Griffin’s Tarzan is deciding between two LPL teams. One team is aiming for the LPL summer championship. The other has a renowned Korean coach. Many believe that the latter (the team with the famous Korean coach) has a higher chance of securing Tarzan’s signature.
5. Both mid-laners of Griffin are currently heading to the LCS, though it’s unclear which team is in contact with them.
6. Two trainees in the Support and Top lane positions are seeking internship contracts.
7. A former top laner of SKT will retire.
Alongside the rumors of Griffin disbanding, the future of its two biggest stars, Viper and Tarzan, is also noteworthy. First is Viper, who is believed to be heading to Hanwha Life Esports, with a deal seemingly already finalized. This makes sense as HLE currently has Lehends, who paired with Viper at Griffin throughout 2019. If this deal goes through, HLE will indeed be much more formidable in the summer.
As for Tarzan, the aforementioned rumors suggest he will play in the LPL, and the team with the highest chance of securing his signature is the one with the famous Korean coach. Indeed, looking at all the Korean coaches working in China, the most renowned is Kk0ma from Vici Gaming, with Poohmandu even assisting him. Therefore this rumor is akin to saying that Tarzan is about to become Kk0ma’s student.
Regardless of the authenticity of the above rumors, one thing we can feel is that Griffin’s future does not look bright. After the drama with their former coach cvMax, half of Griffin’s lineup (including the substitute Doran) has left, leading to their poor performance this past spring. Coupled with the current main roster also stirring to find new homes amidst a flurry of rumors, it seems that the very name Griffin’s existence is in jeopardy, let alone returning to the LCK.