Breaking: Diable traded to Nongshim RedForce in exchange for Taeyoon

The story between and has come to an abrupt and unexpected end. After the organization explained on Tuesday the reasons behind the player’s demotion to the LCK CL, Diable is now reportedly traded to another team. According to a report from Daily Esports, Diable is being traded to LCK team in exchange for their starting AD Carry .

The report, published on Thursday, initially stated that Nongshim RedForce had announced the change, but this had yet to be confirmed at the time of writing. In the meantime, Daily Esports removed that detail from their article, though their report that Diable would be joining Nongshim remains accurate. Sources familiar with the situation have since confirmed to Sheep Esports that the move was finalized on Wednesday night. The trade between Diable and Taeyoon therefore went through as expected, and an official announcement should follow shortly.

Per Sheep Esports sources, before trading Diable to Nongshim RedForce, BNK FEARX also held discussions with . The idea was to send Diable to the SOOPers in exchange for AD Carry Kwak "Enosh" Kyu-jun, who would return to BFX. However, that deal fell through. Daily Esports, who also reported on this initial trade attempt, noted that the move was blocked from Diable's side: born in 2007 and legally classified as a minor, he was required to give his own consent for the deal to be completed.

BNK FEARX had initially stated that their star AD Carry had been demoted from the main roster after he failed to attend a fan meeting and because he had repeated instances in which internal rules and basic commitments were not properly observed.

Such circumstances remain exceedingly rare in the LCK, particularly given Diable’s status within the team in recent months. The trade was completed with notable urgency, as Diable needed to be registered with NS before the start of Round 2 matches, which begin on Friday, in order to be eligible to compete. Had the move not been finalized in time, he would have been forced to wait until Round 3 to make his return to play in another LCK team.

Following an excellent start to the year for BFX, during which Diable established himself as one of the best players in the world at his position, both his performances and the team's have declined since the LCK season got underway. BNK FEARX currently sit at two wins and six losses, leaving them in a difficult position when it comes to qualifying for the Road to MSI, let alone reaching the Legends Group in the later rounds. In return, they acquire Taeyoon, who finds himself joining yet another LCK team only a few months after initially signing with Nongshim.

Nongshim, meanwhile, have made a significant addition to an already well-rounded roster. Currently sitting within the top six of the LCK, NS had already looked like the team most capable of breaking into the league's elite. Their most evident weakness, however, lay in the botlane, where Taeyoon had struggled to perform at his best on a consistent basis. The arrival of Diable and his prospective partnership with could well transform the team's dynamic entirely.