The Cairns Taipans had taken thus far a completely unconventional approach to free agency: making no moves. While other teams picked up imports and locals alike, the Taipans sat in stagnation with their five contracted players. That finally started to change last week when they made their first signing. That then also completely ended when the team announced five signings on the same day. The main Taipans roster is now complete — and it took them only two weeks to make it happen.

Tremors were felt at the end of July when it was confirmed — though not officially announced by the team — that Reyne Smith was to start his professional career by signing with the Taipans. He had finished a four-year collegiate stint at the College of Charleston and Louisville where he established himself as one of the premier three-point scorers in college basketball.

The world then underwent a major shift on 5 August when the Taipans made what is perhaps inarguably their largest signing in team history. Jack McVeigh — one NBA-aspirant year removed from his legendary Tasmania JackJumpers tenure — decided to take on another great challenge in reviving the Taipans. To make such a move happen, the JackJumpers had to void the remainder of McVeigh’s contract which he had left when he embarked on his NBA attempt with the Houston Rockets in 2024. It was suspected for McVeigh to join either the Taipans or the Illawarra Hawks; one team is the reigning NBL champion and the other has never won a championship in their history. McVeigh has already brought a team their first championship and his sky-high aspirations will likely follow him into the tropics of Queensland.

Exactly one week later and the Taipans flipped the globe around by announcing the completion of their primary roster with the additions of five players. Smith was joined by fellow collegiate returnee Mawot Mag who spent five seasons across Rutgers and BYU. The Taipans also made some tremendous import signings with former NBA players Admiral Schofield and Ashton Hagans alongside NBL champion Marcus Lee. These are major names for a team that has been confined to making what are usually considered as budget signings for effectively their recent existence.

The Taipans have operated on a three-year schedule since the 2017–18 season; the team uses what are down seasons to develop their talent and then assemble a squad for one season of postseason glory before their developed talent leave for other opportunities. They missed the playoffs in 2018 and 2019 then made the semifinals in 2020. They missed the playoffs in 2021 and 2022 then made the semifinals in 2023. They missed the playoffs in 2024 and 2025 then all signs suggest that this team has been supplied the firepower to make a return to the semifinals at least.

The Taipans now look like a legitimate contender. The signing of McVeigh would have made them competitive regardless but he is now to be accompanied by Schofield, Hagans, Smith and Lee. Alex Higgins-Titsha is poised to have a breakout season and Sam Waardenburg should establish himself as one of the leading local big men.

The Taipans completing their roster does signify that there will be no return for some of their talent from last season. Taran Armstrong and Akoldah Gak — who both departed at the end of the season to pursue NBA opportunities — will not be back. All three of their imports will also not be returned. Most unfortunate is the exodus of three-point specialist Jonah Antonio who will be a case of having walked so Smith can run.

The perennial money-friendly team of the league being able to invest so heavily in their personnel for this season results in great parity for the league. It was once too easy for the answer to be “last” but now the question has become significantly more open-ended: where will the Taipans finish this season?