In a fleeting moment today, Damian Lillard provided more fuel to the speculation fire about his potential move to the Miami Heat. The star point guard briefly shared an Instagram story expressing his desire to join the Heat but quickly removed the post, making it inaccessible to the public.

Lillard had formally requested a trade back in July, and since then, he has dropped numerous hints, both direct and indirect, about his eagerness to play for the reigning Eastern Conference Champions in the upcoming season.

This cryptic social media activity might have spared the former Rookie of the Year from potential fines or disciplinary measures. The NBA had previously issued a memo indirectly cautioning Lillard and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, regarding possible repercussions for openly discussing his desire to exclusively play in Miami.

The league sent a memo to all 30 teams clarifying that players and agents can publicly or privately declare their reluctance to fulfill contractual obligations following a trade. ESPN reported that both Goodwin and Lillard were interviewed by the NBA after Goodwin had advised teams against pursuing the Trail Blazers guard.

As the 2023-24 season opener approaches, Damian Lillard may find himself in an increasingly challenging situation. Teams are gearing up for training camps, and there are signs that the Trail Blazers’ management may also be exploring trade options for their eager star. Amidst this turmoil, the 33-year-old star shared an Instagram story related to his trade aspirations, only to delete it later.

Brady Hawk’s social media account captured a screenshot of Lillard’s deleted IG story. The image featured Lillard resharing a post from another user that included one of his IG posts, along with the crucial phrase: “Future Heat Legend @damianlillard soon.” Hawk’s message accompanying the screenshot read, “A now deleted Damian Lillard IG story post.”