Why can't there be Summoners?

Riot has done away with the "League" and "Summoners", but I'm wondering why there is no room in the new lore for a simpler, more out of the way Summoner concept. To give at least some lore-based context for the game and the Rift itself, and to legitimize the character interactions you see on the Rift (certain characters taunting others, knowing who they are). Riot said the Rift is now "just a game" and has nothing to do with the lore, but we still have these things.

What if Summoners are just otherworldly beings from another dimension coughtheplayercough that occasionally pluck extraordinary people from Runeterra to do battle for reasons unknown?

There's /no/ room for this?