"Derrick Rose said it on Thursday. Luol Deng and Ronnie Brewer followed suit on Friday.

We're good. If somebody wants to come play with us, that's fine. If not, that's fine, too. We'll try to beat you.

Players used the word chemistry so often last season that you half-expected to see Bunsen burners in the Bulls' locker room or perhaps the periodic table of the elements on the greaseboard.

The point is: As management continues exploring myriad free-agent and trade possibilities, how players will fit into a close-knit group that lost to the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals also is being weighed. In other words, character will count as well as talent.

"You could do a lot of things to make the team better, but I always say it sounds good on paper," Deng said. "When we walk in the locker room, whoever is there is who you're going to fight with. But I really feel, especially the way we lost last year, guys we already have are going to come in ready to fight."

Agents who have spoken to the Bulls say that management has stressed the desire to add serious-minded professionals to the mix. That's why it's not surprising the Bulls' long list of free-agent possibilities contains names like Jason Richardson, Caron Butler, Shane Battier, Josh Howard, Kurt Thomas and Grant Hill, though the latter said on Friday there are "good chances" he'd resign with the Suns as expected."