Right in the middle of their back and forth battle against the Washington Wizards tonight, it was announced that the Milwaukee Bucks were bringing in a new player.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Bucks are reportedly signing veteran forward Axel Toupane to their final two-way contract opening. Once made official, this will actually be Toupane’s second stint in Milwaukee, as the 28-year-old spent two games with the team in the 2016-17 season, playing a grand total of six minutes with the club.
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Toupane’s next opportunity came with the New Orleans Pelicans that same season, where he played 41 total minutes across two appearances before being let go.
In 25 total games split between the Nuggets, Bucks, and Pelicans, Toupane averaged 3.5 points on a .380/.318/.765 slash line while hauling in 1.3 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.
Having not appeared in the NBA since the 2016-17 season, Toupane has spent a majority of his time playing for various clubs overseas.
Seeking an NBA comeback all these years later, Toupane elected to play in the NBA’s G-League bubble for the Santa Cruz Warriors in hopes of getting another shot in the league. After an eventful season in Orlando where he played a pivotal role for the Warriors, it appears that will he will get another shot in the big leagues to some capacity.
Axel Toupane’s strong showing in the G-League bubble has reportedly landed him a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Appearing in nine games for Santa Cruz this year, Toupane averaged 17.9 points on .544/.386/.739 shooting splits, eight rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Toupane’s season came to a close in the semifinals of the G-Leauge playoffs as his Santa Cruz Warriors were eliminated by the eventual champion Lakeland Magic in the semifinals. Although it came in a small sample size, the Bucks were clearly impressed with what they saw from the forward.
Still, this move is somewhat of a headscratcher when considering exactly where Toupane might fit with the current constriction of this roster, especially with the G-League season now over. Without much NBA experience, the 28-year-old seems like an odd fit. The Bucks already have a handful of bodies at the small forward position, including Khris Middleton, Torrey Craig, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Jordan Nwora.
Perhaps the Bucks believe Toupane can further bolster their depth at the position with a busy second half of the regular season about to ramp up. If Toupane can provide the same energetic scoring burst and defensive presence that was on display during his time in the G-League, then this signing will make much more sense.
In the meantime, it is puzzling, especially considering that the team had reportedly previously used their final two-way slot on G-League standout Myles Powell recently. Only time will tell what surfaces there, but right now, there is a new Milwaukee Buck in town by the name of Axel Toupane.
Just exactly how much time and what role Toupane will actually play for the team remains in question, but it is compelling to see the front office still putting the pieces together on this roster. Hopefully, Toupane gets the opportunity to contribute in some manner after finally making it back into the league.