What would be the worst possible transfer moves this summer?

Though you might not always be able to tell, the top CS teams are making roster changes with the goal of improving their prospects. What would it look like if they embarked on kamikaze missions instead, trying to rip apart their squads and their chances of victory with just one player swap? Here are some of our best guesses…

junior to Astralis

What better way to fix your longstanding AWP issues than to pick up the most notorious non-talent in the scene? Despite the added rifling prowess, it’s clear that gla1ve’s new-look squad is still struggling to fill the dev1ce-shaped hole in the squad, cycling through prospective AWPers like a model swiping prospective Tinder dates.

Enter junior, the most entertaining AWPer to have ever lived, albeit more due to his interviewing prowess rather than anything we’ve seen so far on the servers. His preferred playstyle is clearly similar to dev1ce’s, which should make it fairly easy for gla1ve to work his magic and slot him into the lineup. 4 more Majors, coming right up!

NiKo to FaZe Clan

If only to show that added firepower doesn’t always lead to superior results, imagine what it would be like to pluck NiKo from the floundering G2 project and dump him into the current world #1 side. Can you imagine the awkward conversations, the glances between karrigan and rain when the team goes out for dinner?

It would make for prime soap opera material, but it would definitely break apart one of the most committed and loyal squads in the scene, at a time when they are already on top of the world. Sometimes, that extra couple of frags is simply not worth it.

fnx to FURIA

What better way to grab that elusive tournament win than to pick up the Brazilian player whose mere presence guarantees a Major-winning run*? With rumors of fnx’s impending departure from Imperial (with MIBR’s chelo supposedly serving as his replacement for a whopping $200 000), all teams on the market now have the opportunity to pick up a sure-fire title with just a single roster change.

FURIA’s Brazilian squad has always been a great source of entertainment and their uniquely aggressive playstyle has been a joy to watch over the years. However, it never yielded trophies at the highest levels of play, and they definitely never even came close at a Major. What better time to get it done than to pick up fnx for Rio, setting up the lastest of last dances in Brazil in spectacular fashion?

*Post-2022 results may vary. Consult your coach and general manager before purchasing. No refunds!

Boombl4 back to NAVI

With every passing day, we learn just a little bit more about the destabilizing effect Boombl4’s private life had on the beleaguered NAVI squad. Imagine what it would be like if he were to return, still embroiled in legal troubles, after the team’s performed so admirably even in his absence? In-game leaders are nothing without authority and credibility, and on a personal level, it’s clear that Kirill has burned through both. Better to trudge ahead with electronic and a permanent fifth that is better than sdy.

shox to BIG

With gob b and tabseN locked in for the foreseeable future, BIG still carry the humanoid burden that is tiziaN. So many of the puzzle pieces are there: tabseN to rifle and maybe to IGL, syrsoN to wield the AWP, Krimbo as the X-factor, gob b as the big brain… so how about we truly make the Berlin International Gaming squad international with a sprinkling of expired star dust?

That’s right: enter shox, one of the original clutch maestros and rifle demons, who’s clearly shown his discomfort in North America and the difficulties of managing life on an international roster. What a great way to mess up the balance of your squad with very limited gain!

dev1ce to NIP

Was it worth it? Only the player and the team will know what exactly is going on and whether there’s any future with the Ninjas for the absentee big green-wielding Brad Pitt of the CS scene. Individually, there was little wrong with dev1ce’s performances when wearing a NIP jersey: the problem comes with just how long he’s been opting for the branded pyjamas instead, grinding CS:GO matches on FACEIT.

Chemistry-wise, one can scarcely imagine a worse move than trying to reintegrate him after all this extended drama. The NIP squad’s been doing quite alright in his absence despite never really laying hands on a fix five-man roster, and shuffling the roles around once again after all this, whenever it all may end, seems like a waste of everyone’s time – and that’s not even factoring in the personal side of all this, as the other NIP players have been the subjects of uncertainty throughout this whole process.

Photo credit: HLTV