CHICAGO -- Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose saw a back specialist on Monday who confirmed MRI results that there is no structural damage to Rose's back, according to general manager Gar Forman.
"Derrick saw a specialist this morning," Forman said. "And it reconfirmed what we had thought previously and what the MRI had shown in that there is nothing structurally wrong with his back. It's muscular.
"So at this point, we will continue with what we're doing, which is we'll continue with his therapy, continue to get rest, and it will be day to day. Seeing how he responds to the therapy. And when we feel, he feels, that he's well enough to go back on the floor [he'll return]."
Rose, who underwent the MRI last week, has missed the past two games with back spasms. The Bulls have home games coming up Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings, Thursday against the Boston Celtics and Saturday against the New Jersey Nets.
Forman said if a player is injured he won't play, but if a player is merely hurting, he'll have a say in whether he gets on the court.
"Derrick's a competitor," Forman said. "He always wants to be out there competing and playing. That's what you love about Derrick Rose.
"At the same I think he realizes that until he's back to 100 percent that he needs to get his rest and continue with therapy to try to get him back where he's healthy. We're always cautious with any injury, and we want to evaluate all the information and have our medical staff keep tabs with what's going on."
To shore up the roster while Rose is out, the Bulls are going to bring back veteran Mike James from the D-League, a source told ESPN.com's Marc Stein. The Bulls called James, 36, up from the Erie BayHawks in December when Rose suffered a toe injury.
Rose, the reigning MVP, has missed a total of seven games this season, including five for the turf toe.
"The course of action we've been taking we'll continue with, and that is the constant therapy, the massage, and working with our medical staff," Forman said. "You don't know when it's muscular like this. It could respond overnight, it could be a couple days, you just don't know. But the positive is that the MRI was negative and structurally there's nothing wrong."
Rose was voted in to start the All-Star Game on Feb. 26, and the Bulls are hoping he'll be playing by then.
"We really haven't looked ahead that far," Forman said. "We're hopeful that with therapy and rest that he'll have the opportunity to get back sooner rather than later."
Nick Friedell covers the Bulls for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.