NBA preseason is the time of year when we make too much or too little of emerging trends and patterns. 

Team and individual performances are either overanalyzed or overlooked, with claims that things will get figured out in due course. 

What it certainly isn't too early for is to assess whose stock rose and whose dipped on the eve of the regular-season curtain raiser. That said, let's dive into the Golden State Warriors' biggest risers and fallers from their six preseason games: 

This one is a no-brainer. 

The 24-year-old rookie, built like a seasoned veteran, has taken to the league like a duck to water and quickly asserted himself as one of the Warriors' best players. 

Head coach Steve Kerr had a hunch he could be a starter before training camp even began. Preseason only affirmed that notion. The 6-foot-9, big-bodied forward's performances have filled Golden State fans with hope. 

Lendeborg featured in five tune-up games, averaging 18.5 points over the last four. He is grabbing 7.4 rebounds per outing (all five) and chipping in four assists (all five) — flexing his offensive versatility before his NBA career has even officially begun. 

On the defensive end, there is work to do, but Lendeborg's physical stature will allow him to hang immediately. He tallied two steals per game over his last three preseason outings and averaged just under a block across all five. 

The No. 11 overall pick of this year's Draft led the Warriors in scoring and rebounding three times and in assists twice. He's more than ready to contribute, and his addition will help ease some of the burden on Stephen Curry's shoulders on offense and Draymond Green's on defense. 

The Warriors signed the undrafted guard to a $2.6 million minimum deal this offseason, and he appears to have cemented himself as Curry's clear backup. 

A comfortable ball handler, Williams' emergence also gives Kerr the option to play the duo together, with Curry able to operate more off-ball. 

Williams didn't necessarily show his eye for assists in the preseason (2.2 per game), but he impressed with his ability to attack the basket and score. He averaged 12.6 points and got to the free-throw line a bunch. 

The 26-year-old is entering his fifth year in the league. He spent the last three years of his career in Dallas, where he earned regular playing time last season. He featured in 66 games, including 15 starts, averaging 13 points and 3.9 assists in 22.2 minutes.  

The Warriors took notice, and Williams will have plenty of opportunities to continue growing in a guard-friendly system. 

With Kristaps Porzingis out indefinitely and Al Horford, 40, needing careful management, Bassey may have earned the starting center job for the Warriors' season opener against the Lakers on Wednesday and beyond. 

Bassey played five games with the franchise at the end of last season after bouncing around four different teams. He re-signed with the Warriors on a one-year, $2.8 million deal in the offseason. 

Heading into his sixth campaign in the league, Kerr was impressed by Bassey's progress during preseason and training camp. He likes his fit on the team as a solid rebounder and someone who can operate in the pick-and-roll and finish inside. 

At 6-foot-10, Bassey is still an undersized center, but he could be molded into a Kevon Looney-type player. Kerr certainly likes his upside. 

After experimenting with his lineups, including small ball units across the six preseason games, Kerr started Bassey in three of the Warriors' last four. He played in all six, averaging 6.5 rebounds per game, including a high of 12 in Golden State's win over the Lakers in Las Vegas on Oct. 13. 

Bassey also scored in double digits a couple of times, averaging eight points per game on 68 percent shooting. 

If nothing else, he can hold down the fort until the Warriors get healthy early in the regular season, solidifying his role in the rotation for when Porzingis returns. 

The nine-year veteran looked like he might settle into a starting role next to Curry at times last year. 

Melton started 24 of 49 games and averaged 12.3 points per game. 

He entered the preseason with decent footing in the fight for a starting spot, but seems to have lost it over the course. 

Melton averaged 18.4 minutes across five preseason games, scoring a modest 5.2 points on 26.9 percent shooting. 

With that, the Warriors now look set on the Curry-Brandin Podziemski backcourt, with Lendeborg slotting into the frontcourt to add much-needed size, energy, and scoring. 

Melton will remain a big piece off the bench, but his preseason numbers — particularly his efficiency — will need to improve if he is to avoid a demotion. 

For a second-year undrafted guard on a two-way contract, a poor preseason isn't necessarily a direct indictment of who you can still become. However, Cryer had momentum coming into training camp, and his performances didn't strike while the iron was hot. 

Cryer impressed in 18 games with the Warriors last season, averaging 8.2 points in 16.2 minutes per game and shooting 39.4 percent from beyond the arc. 

He continued his development during Golden State's Summer League championship run, looking good alongside Lendeborg. However, the preseason saw the 25-year-old take a step back in his charge for regular playing time. 

Cryer averaged less than three points per game, albeit on limited burn (eight minutes per game), shooting an underwhelming 30 percent from the field and 14.3 percent from three.  

Granted, the sample size needs to be bigger for a full evaluation. But not every case is the same, and the Warriors already know what Cryer can do. 

Cryer may be staring down the barrel of being out of the rotation at the start of the year; however, with the Warriors' thin guard depth, he can get back on track — starting by dominating the G League.