NBA Thursday Late Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 9, 2026
Last updated: Apr 8, 2026, 11:58AM | Published: Apr 8, 2026, 8:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday Late DFS contest commences at 12:00pm AEST on April 9, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on April 9 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday Late slate consists of these match-ups:
- LA Clippers vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Phoenix Suns vs Dallas Mavericks
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
With the best NBA fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more NBA fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC, PG) | $19,300 | 50.2 | 2.6 |
| Value | Jalen Williams (OKC, PF/SF) | $12,710 | 35.1 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Brandon Williams (DAL, PG) | $10,370 | 21.4 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | John Collins (LAC, PF/C) | $9,800 | 26.2 | 2.7 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options highlight the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
PG (Point Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | $19,300 | 50.2 | 2.6 |
| Value | Devin Booker (PHX) | $16,660 | 45.1 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Brandon Williams (DAL) | $10,370 | 21.4 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Alex Caruso (OKC) | $6,150 | 15.9 | 2.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Devin Booker (PHX) | $16,660 | 45.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | Devin Booker (PHX) | $16,660 | 45.1 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Naji Marshall (DAL) | $12,330 | 27.2 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Alex Caruso (OKC) | $6,150 | 15.9 | 2.6 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,180 | 47.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jalen Williams (OKC) | $12,710 | 35.1 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Naji Marshall (DAL) | $12,330 | 27.2 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Derrick Jones (LAC) | $8,120 | 21.2 | 2.6 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,180 | 47.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jalen Williams (OKC) | $12,710 | 35.1 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Chet Holmgren (OKC) | $13,120 | 34.3 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | John Collins (LAC) | $9,800 | 26.2 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Chet Holmgren (OKC) | $13,120 | 34.3 | 2.6 |
| Value | John Collins (LAC) | $9,800 | 26.2 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Brook Lopez (LAC) | $10,860 | 23.5 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Marvin Bagley (DAL) | $8,490 | 19.1 | 2.2 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday Late teams, consider starting with a value player like Jalen Williams. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including John Collins.
On the other hand, according to our model, Brandon Williams is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Thursday Late slate closes at 12:00pm AEST on Thursday. ENTER NOW!
As with all NBA DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven NBA fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the NBA Thursday Late slate. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your NBA DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NBA Thursday Late line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
