When to roster the Warriors' stars in daily fantasy

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The Golden State Warriors are the most intriguing science experiment concocted in the laboratory of free agency since the 2010 Miami Heat. We've already broken down how to approach the NBA's newest superteam (with respect to the Knicks) in terms of their outlook in season-long leagues. Now, we'll break down their outlook in daily fantasy formats.

But first, an important reminder:

Let the prices stabilize in cash games

Even with a handful of preseason games under their belt, it's hard to tell exactly how this rotation will pan out once the chaff of non-guaranteed roster spots are cut and deep-bench projects currently seeing preseason action are relegated to sideline cheerleaders.

Each of Golden States' principal stars - PG Stephen Curry, SG Klay Thompson, SF Kevin Durant and PF Draymond Green - are destined to be overpriced from the opening tip. It will take a couple of games for their daily fantasy prices to normalize.

The LeBron James-Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh Heat team essentially took an entire season to really maximize production. It probably won't take that long for the Warriors to jell, but there's clear potential for some early season letdowns while they feel each other out.

Without further ado, here's when to roster Golden States' core players:

All "value returns" data courtesy DFSgold.com.

Cash Contests

Curry: Curry returned cash-game value in 27 of 79 regular season games. Though his fantasy-points-per-dollar wasn't always great, the sheer volume of his production was elite. If you can find the right assortment of minimum-priced fliers with a shot at returning tournament value, you can still remain competitive in a cash game even if Curry falls short of cash-game standards.

Thompson: Thompson profiles as more of a boom-or-bust option. Because he relies so heavily on his superlative outside shooting to score, he's prone to off-nights when his shot just isn't falling. In 22 of his 80 games, Thompson scored less than 15 points. Without consistent contributions in other fantasy categories, Thompson's floor just isn't conducive to cash game success.

Of course, that all changes if either or both of Curry and Durant sit out a game, especially if the opponent lacks solid perimeter defense.

Durant: As the newest member of the Warriors, Durant is the biggest question mark. Logic dictates that the former MVP and six-time All-NBA Team selection will be the A2 to Curry's A1 as a matter of tenure. Like Curry, the sheer volume of his production will give cash lineups a high floor.

Green: Last season, steady nights by Green through three quarters often made the leap to tournament returns in the fourth quarter. It's no secret that he has chased triple-doubles in the past. The addition of Durant might actually make it easier for him to return cash game value.

Without being in striking distance of triple-doubles with the same regularity, Green will often fall short of the corresponding point bonus, helping keep his daily pricing in check. Expect Green's floor (relative to salary) to rise, with his ceiling coming down slightly. Of all players, monitoring Green's role and usage to start the season will be most important.

Tournament Contests

Curry: The reigning MVP only returned adequate tournament value six times last season - and three of those occurred in his first six games before his pricing rose to reflect his increased statistical production. Unless his co-existence with Durant drives both of their prices down, the unlikelihood of Curry recording a 40-point triple-double makes him unrosterable in tourneys.

Thompson: Klay returned cash-game-or-better value in 27 of 80 games last season; of those, 11 were tournament-worthy. He had big shooting nights against the undersized backcourt defenses of the Trail Blazers and Mavericks. Look for weak perimeter defenders and target them in tournaments; the Warriors' starters are too deep for Thompson to not have frequent open looks.

Durant: KD didn't fare much better than Curry, totaling just seven tournament-level stat lines. The best-case scenario would be if the team's four stars literally alternated dominant production and role-playing on a four-game rotation, providing enough game-to-game variability to keep their prices from rising - creating more room for value on a dollar-per-point basis.

It's not going to be that easy. For now, best you can hope for is targeting plodding frontcourts, but that's still no guarantee that Durant will be the star that shines brightest. The only certainty: the Warriors will likely try to put Durant in a position to have a monster night in his first game against former Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook. Circle November 3 on your calendar.

Green: His best performance came against a bad Nuggets team, when he logged a 29-point, 17-rebound, 14-assists triple-double with four steals and a block. His next five best outings came against playoff teams (Cleveland, Boston and Portland). It will take the Warriors sitting two of their stars for Green to see enough of a usage leap to warrant tournament play.

2015-16 Value Frequency