MIAMI — By nature of the quality of play (or lack thereof), January tends to be the NBA dog days, between the hype of the NBA Cup/Christmas games and All-Star Weekend.

But meaningful days are at hand for the league and potentially the Heat, with the upcoming week beginning a period of key personnel dates for the NBA.

A date when the Heat could offer clarity with their vacant roster spot.

A date when the Heat could give a better read of what might come next with Terry Rozier.

A date when another player on the roster becomes trade eligible.

Such dates all, of course, are merely a precursor to the 3 p.m. Feb. 5 NBA trading deadline, by when the Heat will have to decide what they are and what they want to be.

But these upcoming dates nonetheless could offer advance insight in that regard, as well.

Monday: This is the first day teams can sign players to 10-day contracts.

For the Heat, who have been operating with a vacant spot on their standard roster due to their position hard against the punitive NBA luxury tax, the 10-day route would allow them to sample such options before making longer-term commitments.

Otherwise, the league is about to pass the guarantee date, meaning any contract other than a 10-day deal immediately becomes guaranteed for the balance of the season.

While the Heat have bypassed the 10-day option in recent seasons, among those signed by the team to such deals since 2020 include Jamaree Bouyea in 2023, Haywood Highsmith in 2022 and Chris Silva in 2021.

Wednesday: While Jan. 10 formally is the NBA’s guarantee deadline, players must clear the two-day waiver period to be considered off the books, making Jan. 7 decision day.

The only player with a standard contract not already fully guaranteed on the Heat books is Rozier, who has $1.6 million of non-guaranteed money on his $26.6 million salary for this season, the final year of his contract.

Away from the team on NBA-dictated leave amid the FBI gambling probe, Rozier presents an interesting decision for the Heat at Wednesday’s deadline.

Waive Rozier, and the Heat immediately would open an additional roster spot, with the non-guaranteed portion of Rozier’s salary enough to pay the salary of a replacement player for the balance of the season.

But retain Rozier beyond Wednesday and his full, expiring $26.6 million could be utilized in a trade for cap-matching purposes.

For example, Rozier’s salary plus Tyler Herro’s ($31 million) would get the Heat positioned to match a maximum incoming salary in a potential trade.

Remaining on the roster beyond Wednesday also would guarantee the contracts of two-way players Vlad Goldin, Jahmir Young and Myron Gardner.

Jan. 15: This is the first day that starting point guard Davion Mitchell becomes trade eligible, because Mitchell was signed in the offseason to a contract using Bird or Early Bird rights that had at least a 20% raise over his previous salary. (Most other players signed in the offseason around the NBA became trade eligible on Dec. 15).

While there is not necessarily any desire to move off of Mitchell, Jan. 15 nonetheless stands as the earliest the Heat could put his $11.6 million salary into play in a trade.

Sometime in early January: This is when a writing ruling is expected to be issued from the December arbitration about whether the NBA can continue to withhold Rozier’s salary in an escrow-type, interest-bearing account.

If the money is released to Rozier, it could make it more difficult to claw back. If the escrow holds, it would enhance the ability for the Heat to potentially recoup Rozier’s salary.

Feb. 5: No, the NBA trading deadline is not impending, but any action by the Heat at the aforementioned personnel dates could indicate a direction by the Heat at the deadline.

The question at the moment, is whether these impending key dates will impact anything in the short term, or if management and the coaching staff first want to see how it all shakes out with Herro’s return to the mix.

If there is a decision to fill the current vacant roster spot or even create a second one with the waiving of Rozier, it could come down to possibly adding 3-point depth and/or a true power forward.