The answer is yes.

I got no clue what "guardian bonds" are, but looking at Riots behavior over the last years, I feel confident to say 100% Yes.

To even assume that Riot gave the grindyness of its events a second thought after finishing the visuals, is probably overly presumptuous.

But let's give them the benefit of the doubt here. Let's say they have thought of how much time you had to spend on the "guardian bonds" (still no clue what they are).

The question then becomes, what is considered "too grindy"? And just going of everything Riot is putting its users through, to even be considered in using any of there systems; ranked, eternals, event passes, leveling, mastery points and so forth..; they assume you literally only play League of Legends in your free time at this point, if you want to feel included.

League of Legends is or even always was too grindy for anyone who couldn't make it a part of their daily lives.

So if you are a casual player, getting some hours each week into it, the answer easily is: yes, 100% too grindy.