How Aaron Brooks ended up with the Bulls

Aaron Brooks told an interesting story about how he joined the Bulls this summer.

Typically, NBA teams cast a wide net when free agency begins, not knowing how things will play out. The Bulls were in touch with his agent all month, but Brooks said the Bulls weren't on his radar at all until just before he signed on July 22.

"I don't know where the Bulls came from, honestly," Brooks said after Monday's practice. "During the summer, it wasn't really on my mind to go to Chicago, because I didn't know it was an option.

"We were looking at Denver. It seems like I always end up back in Houston. But then when the Bulls came over, it was like, 'That's a perfect situation.' So it's a blessing."

So there was no recruiting pitch, no phone call from Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau detailing how Brooks could be the next Nate Robinson or D.J. Augustin?

Brooks said there wasn't. One day, his agent simply called and told him the Bulls were interested.

"I think the same day I heard about the Bulls was the day I signed. Like one or two days or so," Brooks said. "Bulls, Chicago - it sounds good to me."

Busy week begins:

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said there are no plans to give anyone scheduled days off. They'll continue to be careful with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, who are coming back from knee surgeries.

"What we're doing is taking it day by day and game by game," Thibodeau said. "If a guy needs time, he'll get time. If he doesn't, he'll play. I don't think you can jump ahead or predict. As long as they're feeling well, they should play."

If Rose and Taj Gibson feel good Tuesday, they should be back in the lineup. Both missed Saturday's win at Minnesota with sprained ankles.

Tuesday's game against Orlando is the start of four games in five nights. Thibodeau suggested Rose should be ready, since Team USA played five in six nights during the FIBA World Cup this summer.

"I like our schedule, to be honest," Thibodeau said. "We have a heavy road schedule. There's a lot of games. We feel we have great depth. And I think this gets you ready."

Cavs on their mind:

Some Bulls are having trouble getting last Friday's overtime loss to Cleveland out of their system, according to Taj Gibson.

"Guys are still watching the Cleveland game. Guys are still bothered from that game," he said. "It shows the makeup of our team. We're only going to get better."

Playing without Derrick Rose in the fourth quarter or Jimmy Butler for the entire game, the Bulls rallied to take a 5-point lead with 47 seconds left, but couldn't hold on.

"I felt like we blew the shot," Gibson said. "A lot of things I felt like we could have done better, including myself. Like good coaches say, you've got to let those kind of games bother you. It's only going to make you a better player, make you a better team, and you've got to keep pushing."

There seems to have been widespread anticipation for LeBron James' return to Chicago with the Cavaliers. The game earned the third-highest rating for a regular season NBA game ever on ESPN.