The Bulls could still release a player and sign an additional big man prior to the home stretch.

Monday is the deadline for released players to be eligible for the postseason with a new team, which could be an incentive for a guy like Devin Brown to reach a buyout with Chicago.

Derrick Rose bumped knees with Indiana's Earl Watson late in Saturday's game.

The injury occurred late in the game and he limped off the court with fewer than three minutes left in regulation.

He didn't return to the game as Chicago was trailing by double-digits.

Coach Vinny Del Negro said after the game that Rose would be fine. He iced the knee after the game and slipped out before speaking with the media.

Monday is the deadline for teams to sign players that will be eligible for playoff action.

The Bulls could add a big man as insurance for Joakim Noah, who has been hobbled by plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Chicago waived Chris Richard at the trade deadline Feb. 18 and is the most likely candidate for the spot.

Bulls guard Flip Murray, playing for his eighth team in eight seasons, doesn't think changing teams is that difficult.

"Everything in the NBA is mostly the same," he said. "Everybody does the same thing. There's just different play calls for it. So once I get the calls for everything -- which I'm starting to get -- everything else comes easy."

Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro says that Murray has adjusted quickly as a threat off the bench.

"He's very comfortable," Del Negro said. "That's what he's done. He's come in and been a scorer off the bench. We need him to do that, but he also moves the ball. Our ball movement's been good, so hopefully that will continue."

Bulls point guard Derrick Rose would be happy if coach Vinny Del Negro returned next season.

"Oh definitely, if he comes back I'll be happy," Rose said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "If not, that's not really up to me, it's up to the front office.

"He's doing a good job with us, the coaching staff is doing a good job with us. He usually lets me go out there and play and lets me make the best of my mistakes. No matter what, he always tells me I'm doing a good job, and he's always showing me video. I don't have anything to complain about."

Bulls center Brad Miller has refuted the notion that he might retire at the end of the season when his seven-year, $68 million contract ends.

"I won't be asking for the same amount," Miller said with a laugh.

"I do call myself a realist. Hopefully, I'll get more (than league minimum) but it's not about money. I just want to play. I think I have not too many more but definitely one or two more seasons in me."

Miller, who went undrafted out of Purdue, has made millions, enjoyed deep playoff runs and played in All-Star Games.

"No way I could've predicted this," Miller said. "I thought maybe I'd get a couple of years in and call it good. It has been an amazing ride. I just kept going."

Bulls center Joakim Noah left practice on Thursday to undergo a bone scan on his troublesome left foot.

Noah has been battling plantar fasciitis for quite some time.

"He went to get a bone scan on his foot, but he felt pretty good this morning," Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. "Obviously, he didn't play a lot [Wednesday] night so we'll see what the results are.

"It's going to be a monitored thing every day. Depending on how he feels, and then therapy and just see how it works out."

Noah played just seven minutes in Wednesday's 120-110 win over the Pacers.

"The birthday's been good," said Noah, who turned 25 on Thursday. "I went to go get treatment. I went to go get X-rays; hung out with some doctors. It was pretty cool. Missed practice. A good day so far. At least it's nice outside.

"I'm hurting, obviously. But, it's the end of the season right now and I want to be there for my team, and I want to be as ready as possible come playoff time."

The Bulls held onto guard Kirk Hinrich through the trade deadline, but they can still use him to create space for two elite free-agents this summer.

Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald writes that Chicago could use Hinrich in a sign-and-trade with a team such as the Hawks, which could lose a major free agent.

The chances of the Bulls being able to do so would increase if a team like Atlanta felt they didn't have a chance to re-sign their top free agent.

In this case, of course, that free agent would be Joe Johnson.

Since the Knicks cleared more than $9 million of additional salary cap space on deadline day last Thursday, there has been a shift in the betting line handicapping where LeBron James will sign as a free-agent this summer.

The Knicks have moved from +240, dating back to November of 2009, to +175 after the trade deadline, according to odds from Sportsbook.com.  The payoff on a bet that the Cavs will re-sign their superstar has remained unchanged at -300.  Cleveland continues to be the decisive favorites.

Both the Nets (+800 in November to +1500 at present) and Pistons (+2000 in November to +3500 at present) are now deemed to be dramatically less likely to sign James.

Curiously -- and perhaps erroneously -- the Bulls are not given any odds to sign James, despite the fact that Chicago will have a maximum salary slot available, the Bulls are already a playoff team, and James idolized Michael Jordan growing up.

After a sparkling debut turning in 9 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocks, Tyrus Thomas was interviewed on the court after the game by Bobcats' television.

Thomas complimented Larry Brown, saying that he had no problem with his new coach getting on him because Brown also gave him instructions on how to fix his mistakes and an opportunity to do so.

The relationship between Thomas and Bulls' coach Vinny Del Negro became increasingly tense this season, leading to the deadline-day trade that sent the former lottery pick to Charlotte.

The Bobcats beat the Cavs, 110-93.