The Los Angeles Thieves might just be nearing the record in the Call of Duty League 2021 season for the most roster changes thus far. Just after we found out that TJHaLy would be returning to the main lineup alongside the benching of Huke, an LA Thieves SlasheR and Huke return was announced.

The Los Angeles Thieves announced on Twitter that it is making some huge changes just in time for the end of the fourth stage of the 2021 season. This includes the return of not one but two players at the same time to the starting lineup for the foreseeable future.

The LA Thieves SlasheR and Huke return will see these two outstanding players come back to the battlefield once more for some more Call of Duty League matches this season. Their returns are more than welcome as both Huke and SlasheR are amazing players worthy of being on the team.

Both of their benching this season caused controversy for the fans of the LA Thieves since they are talented players and this LA Thieves SlasheR and Huke return is great news for fans of them. The players will be returning this week just in time for the final week of group play in Stage 4.

The final week is known as the Los Angeles Thieves Home Series and will be the team’s big moment to shine. As such, it seems that the 100 Thieves organization is doubling down on its star power by bringing back these elite players for the next week.

Furthermore, the LA Thieves SlasheR and Huke return is also scheduled to happen through the end of the Stage 4 Major as well. The next tournament will follow up after this week’s events with the return to LAN for the fourth double-bracket tournament of the 2021 season.

It is understandable then that the Thieves would want to have the best team possible for the next couple of weeks, but the thing is that the LA Thieves SlasheR and Huke return does mean that two players are moving to the bench. Unfortunately, those two players are Drazah and Venom.

Furthermore, bringing back TJHaLy and benching Huke did not help much in the last couple of weeks, either, so the team is in an awkward position. That is why it is understandable that the Thieves would want to make some huge changes ahead of the end of the season.

They currently have a record of one win and two losses in Stage 4, with only two matches left; both of which will happen in the LA Thieves Home Series. At best, they will be able to end the season with a three win-two losses record and that is if they win both matches.

If they are able to pull that off, they will pretty much be guaranteed to be in the winner’s bracket of the next Major as that would mean defeating both of the teams that they would be tied with in the standings. Is it possible? Sure, but I have something to say about it.

I think that the lineup of Kenny, TJHaLy, SlasheR, and Huke is a fantastic one, but a problematic one at the same time. If I’m being honest, I think that Huke is an excellent player and a champ for a reason, but I do think that the Thieves might be the wrong team for him.

In the past, he fit in well with the Dallas Empire and for good reason, but the Thieves are not the Empire and this is not a team that seemingly works for him. This has nothing to do with his talent or the other members’ talents, but simply to do with synergy.

Some players will not work well with others and that is alright; it is only natural for that to be the case; see the outstanding lineup that Seattle Surge had in 2020 that was hoped to be championship-worthy before the season began.

As I mentioned before when Huke was first benched, I think that the champ would do better as the star player of a team that is struggling right now for different reasons than the LA Thieves. Honestly, I think that the Thieves are struggling because they just change things up too much.

They had an amazing lineup with Kenny, TJHaLy, Venom, and Drazah, and they messed it up by getting greedy about picking up one of the only current champions in the league. That was a mistake and everything has been trying to put a bandaid on it ever since then.

I think that the LA Thieves could actually do well in its Home Series, and possibly somehow beat both OpTic and Minnesota this week, but they could be better. Huke could do better as well as part of another team that really needs him when the Thieves do not and they do not seem to work as well together as they could.

Here is what I think that the LA Thieves and Huke should optimally do if they each want to succeed in the remainder of the 2021 season. If it were me, I would switch out Huke for Drazah. Without a doubt, the starting lineup this year should have been Kenny, TJHaLy, SlasheR, and Drazah.

Removing Drazah after his terrific performance last year was a massive mistake and one that has cost the team dearly ever since the beginning of the season. Removing him again is going to cost them dearly once more, and that should be the starting lineup moving forward.

This is a team that knows each other so well and can work together in such a smooth way. If the Thieves want to succeed, this is the team that needs to happen in Stage 5. I hope that, if the Thieves do not do well in the next couple of weeks, that they give this one the final try for the end of the 2021 season.

As for Huke, he is a star and should be sent to a team where he can be the leading player for them. In my opinion, there are a few excellent options where he will boost the team significantly and help them to become something greater than they are.

I think the best option overall is the Minnesota Rokkr. Rokkr sort of suffers from the issue that the Thieves have where they have a lot of talented players but they did not work as well together as you would have expected, bringing in some former Subliners and Atlanta players.

They are in a pretty good place, though, with the current lineup including the unbelievable Standy but they could be better. Huke could join them and be that edge to get them to greatness, rather than the inconsistent team that they currently are.

The other possibility is, sadly, an ironic one for multiple reasons and that is the Los Angeles Guerrillas. I do think this has a less likely chance of happening, but bringing Huke to the Guerrillas could give the team the chance to thrive finally this season.

Removing Vivid was the Guerrillas’ ultimate mistake and this is seen in how the player is doing quite well as, honestly, one of the best players on the Dallas Empire right now. Unfortunately, that would be a lame swap for the champ Huke to go there, but he could help that team be something worth rooting for. Either one of these would work, possibly better than Huke remaining on the Thieves, but it does look like this is unlikely to happen.