It is no secret the Los Angeles Lakers are looking to improve their team at the midpoint of the 2023-24 season. Thus, LA has been caught in numerous NBA trade rumors primarily surrounding D'Angelo Russell and Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. The two stars shared a moment that further fueled the buzz.

The Lakers and Hawks stars embraced amid endless NBA trade rumors

Atlanta defeated Los Angeles 138-122 on Tuesday night. D'Angelo Russell had a subpar showing with nine points and five assists, while Dejounte Murray notched 24 points, nine assists, and four rebounds. Both stars greeted each other after the game and shared a brief moment of interaction, as provided by Jovan Buha:

Of course, fans on social media are speculating on the substance of the interaction. One X user claimed that Russell will soon be traded, while others are confused about whether the Lakers should keep or move the star guard.

Several users noted that Murray and Russell's fellowship was good to see amid the endless trade rumors.

It remains to be seen if their teams will engage in a transaction before the Feb. 8th deadline. Regardless, the Lakers must find a way to attain consistency amid a middling stretch.

Los Angeles is back below the .500 mark with Monday night's loss. The team sits ninth in the Western Conference standings. Russell comes off an impressive stretch of play where he scored over his season average in points for several straight games.

Meanwhile, Murray is also on a tear in Atlanta. However, his team is 20-27 and sits 10th in the Eastern Conference. Murray and Russell have made compelling cases for their teams to keep them ahead of the deadline. It will be interesting to see how the organizations handle their two stars.