Since winning the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament in December, the Los Angeles Lakers have not looked like the championship contenders many expected them to be. Recent inconsistent play from those outside LeBron James and Anthony Davis has led to the Lakers popping up in several trade rumors across the league with less than two weeks until the trade deadline. Perhaps the most noise surrounds D'Angelo Russell, whom the team acquired in a multi-team deal at the trade deadline last season.

Russell signed a two-year, $36 million contract with the Lakers this past summer, a deal that contains a player option for the 2024-25 season. Although he hit a cold stretch in the month of December, Russell has been one of the hottest players in the league in recent weeks. The 27-year-old scored a season-high 39 points against the Utah Jazz on January 13, and he is coming off a 29-point performance with eight made triples, a new season-high, against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.

Over the last seven games he has played, Russell has failed to score over 20 points just once, and he is shooting 53.1 percent from three-point range during this span. His 29-point performance against the Bulls is yet another example of the value Russell can bring to the table for the Lakers.

“My confidence is through the roof right now,” Russell said after the Lakers defeated the Bulls 141-132, via ClutchPoints' Michael Corvo. “I keep it there and it's always good that have that.”

Austin Reaves, who sat next to Russell, smiled and told reporters that his teammate's confidence is “always” through the roof.

Russell has heard a lot of the noise in recent weeks leading up to the trade deadline. Expectations from Lakers fans for every player outside of Davis and James are always so high, which is why many of the guard's performances this season have gone overlooked. The fact that Russell is averaging 27.4 points and 6.6 assists per game while shooting the ball as well as he is can't be overlooked at this juncture.

“He's hungry, man. He's playing at a high level. It's beautiful to watch,” head coach Darvin Ham said of Russell, via Corvo. “A tear like this, we've needed all of it. He's in an extremely good rhythm.”

Although it is obviously tough seeing his name come up in trade chatter, Russell has continued to be a true professional for the Lakers. His continued work in the practice facility and eagerness to steer the Lakers' season in the right direction have paid off tremendously in recent games.

It is certainly a possibility that the Lakers could begin having second thoughts about the notion of trading D'Angelo Russell before the trade deadline, especially given his recent performances.