Are these overgrown roots wicking water to the soil?

I realize these roots probably need to be trimmed, or the plant repotted, but I’m curious at this point if these roots that have grown out of the bottom of the inner pot are wicking up water into the soil to keep it moist? Anyone else have plants that have done this? It seems like it is, but I still water it occasionally to keep the soil evenly moist. (This is a hanging self-watering pot from Amazon, but I tend not to use the wicks so I have more control over how moist the soil stays.)