Heat faces first COVID issue of season as Caleb Martin enters health and safety protocols
Less than 72 hours removed from the best performance of his career, Caleb Martin is out for the Miami Heat on Saturday due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols regarding COVID-19.
The wing’s entrance into health and safety protocols means he tested positive for the coronavirus and will be out for either 10 days or until he returns a pair of negative PCR tests in a 24-hour span, according to league policy.
Every member of the Heat is vaccinated, meaning the team has not been subject to daily testing at home and players cannot be sidelined simply because they are a close contact with a player. Teams are tested regularly on the road, however, and Miami begins a four-game road trip Monday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I don’t even think I can make a rational comment on this right now,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I was literally just informed of this within the last 10 minutes, so we just need to wait for a little more direction from the league, which they will give us some direction, and then we’ll take the next step.”
Martin, who’s on a two-way contract, scored a career-high 28 points in the Heat’s 113-104 win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday and was being counted on as a starter with star forward Jimmy Butler sidelined by a tailbone injury. Miami is also missing Bam Adebayo because of a thumb injury, fellow post player Markieff Morris because of whiplash and wing Victor Oladipo because of a knee injury.
This is the first COVID situation to pop up for Miami this season and it comes on the day the Heat faces a team hit hard by the virus. The Chicago Bulls have seven players in COVID protocols — guards Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, Matt Thomas and Javonte Green, and forwards DeMar DeRozan, Derrick Jones Jr. and Stanley Johnson — after Dosunmu and Johnson both entered protocols earlier Saturday. The Bulls still have 11 players available, however, and Miami is down to 10.
