ORLANDO — Derrick Rose typically wears a stoic expression, but the rookie point guard glumly looked like somebody had stolen his keys to the gym yesterday.

That's when he sat near the end of the bench as Bulls management decided to take a cautious approach with the tendinitis in his right knee.

Rose aggravated the condition Tuesday and then skipped the Bulls' 86-74 victory over Orlando yesterday. More accurately, he was forced to skip it.

"I could've played, but they held me out," Rose said. "I hate sitting."

The Bulls said Rose was day-to-day, meaning he'll probably be available for a high-profile matchup Friday against Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook. There are no long-term concerns about the condition.

"It's not serious," general manager John Paxson said. "(Memphis coach John Calipari) told us (Rose) occasionally would have issues with it, but he played every game (in college).

"This is just precautionary. There's nothing structurally wrong with the knee. Obviously, we checked him out completely during our draft process."

Paxson said the Bulls might place Rose on a program designed to strengthen the knee and thus limit the condition's effects after the summer league ends Friday.

Sources have said Rose will be the only NBA rookie invited to participate on the U.S. select team, which will scrimmage and practice against the senior team that plays in the Beijing Olympics. That commitment is from July 21-24 in Las Vegas.

Coach Vinny Del Negro is expected to accompany Rose for the experience.

Meanwhile, Paxson said Tyrus Thomas would skip the Bulls' final two games this week. The third-year forward averaged 18 points and 7.7 rebounds as the Bulls went 2-1 through Wednesday.

Thomas scored 25 points and Joakim Noah added 10 points and 12 rebounds against Orlando.

"I can do more than run and jump," Thomas said.

Del Negro said he long has been a fan of Thomas', dating to his front-office days in the Suns organization. But he said it's "too early to tell" how the Bulls will use him, calling him a "3›," or basketball-speak for a player who can play both power and small forward.

"I saw his college practices at LSU, and his athleticism jumped out at you right away," Del Negro said. "He has a unique ability to block shots. We want to see him becoming a complete player, and we have all the confidence in the world that he will.

"The way we'll use him he'll be much more effective. He has to continue working and expanding his game. And we'll help him. With his athleticism and ability to run the court, we think he'll be a big part of what we do."