The G2 problem
How do you fix G2?
No, seriously. I’m really struggling here. And I can’t be the only one – in fact, there was a piece of content from ESL where the players from other teams didn’t have a clue either.
But the biggest reason you can’t fix G2 easily is the sheer sunk cost. Players come and go, but contracts are binding.
Good luck replacing any of those players.
“A f*ck ton of years”
When Carlos of G2 announced that NiKo and huNter were staying for the above length of time, there was little in the way of skepticism from the sheep on Twitter.
NiKo and huNter are, to the layman, excellent players who you want to build around.
But when you sign two players to massive contracts, and the team doesn’t work out, you have two static pieces that cannot move. Your two star riflers cannot be messed with. What sweeping changes can you possibly make?
One can also point to the fact that NiKo consistently looks great without ever actually winning trophies, but that’s a rabbithole I don’t care to enter in this particular article.
Even if it’s true.
It’s fine, they can at least change their AWPer, it’s not like they spent a small fortune on him and have him for years too.
The good news for G2 is that they do have three great players already. The bad news is that that doesn’t seem to matter, and if the synergy is off, you can’t do anything about it.
You can only change Aleksib and JACKZ, and even that seems immaterial.
Aleksib would be the only change you can realistically make that would make any difference, but who do you even get?
There’s no great IGL just waiting to be scooped up by G2, just to get usurped by NiKo. Even ignoring that meme, it seems like something of a poisoned chalice.
Winning is expected, even though none of these players have been consistent tournament winners at any point in their careers.
Unlike when FURIA added saffee, or when NIP added Brollan, or when Astralis inevitably re-sign device, there’s no obvious upgrades.
And that’s because G2 dug themselves a hole with big buyouts, long contracts and consistent inconsistencies.
Good luck fixing that, and making NiKo not choke again.
