According to NBA Roster Regulations @ NBA.com
- There's no deadline for signing players before the season starts.
- However, the Heat "must reduce their Active List to a maximum of 12 players the day before the beginning of the NBA season" and "teams must have at least eight eligible players dressed and able to play in each regular season game."
- Otherwise, the Heat can sign & release players to non-guaranteed contracts until the 2nd week in January whereupon all contracts become guaranteed.
- The Heat may also sign players to a maximum of 2 x 10-day contracts per season after which the player must be waived or signed for the remainder of the season.
- The Heat can trade & re-trade eligible players [1] until the 16th Thursday of each season.
[1] ineligible players include players who cannot be traded for 90 days after signing a contract or until December 15th of that season, whichever comes later.
