We are at the point in the NBA season where we can do a proverbial vibe check to see which offseason moves have brought success, so Charlotte Wilder joined Wednesday’s edition of GoJo and Golic to look back as we await the outcome of trade rumors swirling around stars like Jimmy Butler and Bradley Beal.
When asked which team stood out to her as the team that benefited the most from their offseason acquisitions, Charlotte pointed to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Specifically, Charlotte called out the Thunder’s acquisition of Isaiah Hartenstein from her husband’s beloved New York Knicks as a key move. When the news first broke about Hartenstein heading to the Thunder, Wilder admitted it was terrifying because she thinks if there was any way financially the Knicls could have kept Hartenstein and paired him with Karl-Anthony Towns it would have made them the favorite to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Hartenstein’s rebounding and aggressiveness make a huge difference on defense and pairing him with another bulldog in Alex Caruso has fixed a lot of OKC’s problems and has them sitting pretty atop the Western Conference.
Charlotte says that so much of team-building is looking at your issues and determining how you can fix them. She shared that she spoke with a Thunder assistant coach before the season, who described how exciting and liberating it was to build a team from scratch. He mentioned how the young players hadn’t developed bad habits or experienced unhealthy locker room environments. And to bring in two players with a similar mindset, felt like the ideal addition to their team.
Which NBA team does @TheWilderThings think nailed the offseason?
“I mean you said it Mike, the Thunder. When they got Hartenstein, I was like, OK, well, this is now terrifying…I think that what Hartenstein brings to a team, his rebounding, his aggressiveness, he makes such a… pic.twitter.com/jW3yAFYuJf
— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) January 8, 2025
You cannot talk about NBA offseason moves and not mention the New York Knicks‘ addition of Karl-Anthony Towns or, as some New Yorkers like to call him, Bodega KAT. Senior made the observation that coming into this year Towns was averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds, and his numbers have improved to 25 points and 14 rebounds while also shooting the best 3-point percentage of his career. For all the uncertainty surrounding the move, it’s clear that this pick-up has paid off. Wilder agreed with Senior and offered her theory that Towns might have needed the spotlight of a big-market team like New York to thrive. She described him as “very corny,” describing him to the Knicks’ version of Jayson Tatum. While some of his comments after wins might be cringe-worthy, his impressive on-court performance backs it up. Wilder speculated that the bright city lights may align with his self-perception, helping him reach the next level.
"I think Karl-Anthony Towns needed to be in a big market, a sexy team like the New York Knicks, to match up with his self-perception and unlock this next level. It's starting to look like the idea they had to try and match up with the Celtics might have worked."… pic.twitter.com/xcyLHSiG9g
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) January 8, 2025
On the flip side, the Sixers made a splash move by acquiring Paul George, but the injury bug has hit them like a plague, prohibiting them from building strong chemistry amongst their superstars. Is there anything the 76ers can do to get something out of the PG13 deal? Wilder pointed out that the Sixers are currently sitting in the 11th spot, highlighting a stat showing Paul George has only played 24% of the time alongside Embiid and Maxey. She called the situation a complete DISASTER and a cautionary tale for teams considering a high-price move for Jimmy Butler. While George is an incredible player, his injury history and preseason injury with the Sixers make it seem like this wasn’t the right move for this franchise. Wilder expressed sympathy for Sixers fans, suggesting they might have to trust the process … again.
Watch or listen to the full show below and tune into GoJo and Golic weekday mornings from 8-10 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network! See more about how to watch DraftKings Network here.
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Hour 1: Raiders Fire HC Antonio Pierce + Titans Fire GM Ran Carthon + Jalen Hurts and An NFL Playoff Injury Update
VIDEO
Watch GoJo and Golic every weekday on Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Xumo Play, Google TV and DraftKingsNetwork.com from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show is also available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr.
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