Unable to match the might and power of the revitalised NBL's big-market clubs, Cairns have dared to be different under new coach Mike Kelly and recruit Lucas Walker is embracing the challenge.
Walker joins the Taipans from the Perth Wildcats, where his rebooted his career in rising from an injury replacement player to gold medal winner at this year's Commonwealth Games.
Having been part of the juggernaut in the west, the veteran forward admits it's an entirely different landscape in the tropical Queensland city.
"Coming from Perth, where for 32 years they've made the finals in a row, you get to Cairns and the rest of the league kind of pegs you to finish down near the bottom or (think) 'it's just Cairns'," he said ahead of their season opener in Brisbane on Saturday.
"It is a bit of motivation ... to think someone is selling you short; it hurts and it's fuel in the tank to do really well."
The Taipans and fellow regional club Illawarra Hawks have benefited from top-ups in the past two seasons thanks to the NBL's luxury tax on clubs that exceed the soft salary cap.
But their operations budgets remain dwarfed by the capital city clubs, forcing Kelly into some savvy recruitment in the wake of MVP pair Cameron Gliddon (Brisbane) and Mitch McCarron's (Melbourne United) departures.
Second round NBA draft pick Devon Hall, DJ Newbill, Melo Trimble and Rob Loe are all new additions who can shoot from distance, while veteran Alex Loughton does the same and former NBA talent Nathan Jawai provides sizeable grunt around the rim.
Recently retired Taipan Mark Worthington made an interesting comparison in praising Kelly's approach.
"What Cairns and Illawarra have to do is think outside the box, because they can't match a Sydney roster like-for-like," he said.
"It wasn't too long ago the (reigning NBA champions, Golden State) Warriors were on the outside looking in and they changed the way that basketball was played by going all three-point shooters.
"Cairns have gone for a three-point shooting team this year, with Jawai the exception. They've gone with something different, which is good."
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