Before the semifinals of Worlds 2023 took place, JD Gaming (JDG) was regarded by many experts as the strongest team in the world. The reason was that JDG had won the LPL Spring, Summer, and MSI titles in 2023. If they secured the Worlds 2023 title, JDG would be the first team to achieve the “Grand Slam” title in League of Legends history.
However, this did not happen as JDG collapsed in the semifinals against a very strong T1. After leaving Worlds 2023, JDG was even rumored to be behind the “slander” incident involving Kanavi on the Tieba app. This has made fans worry that JDG’s current “star-studded” roster will disband right after Worlds 2023 concludes.
This concern was reinforced when former Victory Five coach Han Yi revealed the transfer status of two stars, Knight and Ruler. Specifically, Han Yi disclosed that EDward Gaming (EDG) had reached out to negotiate with Knight and Ruler recently. EDG hopes to soon “seal the deal” with these two valuable stars from JDG.
Although Knight had a rather disappointing Worlds 2023, he remains a highly sought-after name in the LPL region. Knight has always been pursued with attractive contracts from major teams in recent years. If EDG wants to acquire this player, they will certainly have to face fierce competition from other teams.
As for Ruler, he is seen as the number two option for EDG in upgrading the AD Carry position. The team had previously intended to call back Viper, but he has re-signed with Hanwha Life Esports. Therefore, Ruler is considered the next suitable name to strengthen EDG’s bot lane for the new season. In fact, the competition for Ruler’s signature is even more intense than for Knight, as several LCK teams are also eager to acquire this star.
With an all-star roster in the 2023 season, JDG has somewhat succeeded in adding LPL and MSI titles. However, the failure at Worlds 2023 puts JDG at risk of losing key players like Knight and Ruler. If they fail to retain these key players or do not find suitable replacements, JDG facing a trophy-less 2024 season is a very likely scenario.