Heat to start road trip without Butler, Adebayo and two others

The Heat will be missing several players to start their four-game road trip on Monday in Cleveland, including Jimmy Butler (tailbone) and Markieff Morris (neck), Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel tweets. Miami will also be without Bam Adebayo (thumb) and Caleb Martin (protocols).

All four players won’t be traveling with the Heat, receiving their treatment in Miami instead. In addition, veteran guard Victor Oladipo (knee) has yet to play this season, but Winderman notes that he’ll be traveling with the Heat and sitting on the bench.

Morris has been sidelined for the past 17 games, while Butler returned on Dec. 6 after missing four games. Butler re-injured himself during that contest, costing him the past two games (and counting). Despite missing key players, Miami still holds the fourth-best record in the East at 16-11.

Here are some other notes from the Southeast Division:

• Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer examines whether the Hornets should pursue Pacers big men Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. Indiana is reportedly open to discussing the players in trades as it ponders whether to start a rebuilding phase. Both Sabonis and Turner would likely start if they were acquired by Charlotte, who currently starts Mason Plumlee at center.
• Despite owning a 5-22 record, the Magic remain optimistic due to the impending return of guard Markelle Fultz, Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Fultz suffered a torn ACL last January and fully practiced with the Magic on Friday for the first time since sustaining the injury. “It was great to have Kelle on the floor,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said of Fultz. “As long as there are no hiccups, he’s going to continue to progress in the right direction.”
• Heat coach Erik Spoelstra questioned the league’s strategy with handling players in health and safety protocols, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. “Why would they be held out extensively longer than if they have the flu?” he asked. “I think there’s a contradiction there.” The same couldn’t be said a year ago when vaccines weren’t widely available, but now that they are, it could raise an interesting discussion.