Earlier this month Dwight Howard wouldn't say whether he would be interested in playing for the Chicago Bulls. He's open to the idea now.

Just days after ripping his Orlando Magic teammates for their effort in a blowout loss to the New Orleans Hornets, Howard added MVP Derrick Rose's Bulls to his list of potential destinations.

"If I could play with Derrick right now and God wanted that to happen, it will happen," Howard told the Chicago Tribune. "It has nothing to do with me not wanting to play with Derrick Rose. I love him. That's my brother."

Media reports earlier this season speculated that adidas, which both Howard and Rose represent, would not want two of its stars in the same market. Howard shot down that idea.

"It has nothing to do with adidas," Howard said, according to the Tribune. "In fact, adidas would love that because me and Derrick have the same guy."

Asked about the prospect of playing with Howard, Rose on Monday said: "Me and Dwight definitely have a relationship, especially because of adidas. Our market and the city speaks for itself if someone was interested to come to the Chicago Bulls. Dwight, he's a great player. Who wouldn't want to play with him? But you never know what's going to happen."

Seen as one of the contenders in the East, the Magic have lost three straight to fall to 12-8. They lost 93-67 to the now 4-16 Hornets.

"I look at guys and they don't look like they want to play," Howard said following the lopsided loss.

"I told them at halftime, 'If you don't want to play, just stay in the locker room, because it don't make sense for a team who we should beat to just demolish us.' "

The 26-year-old Howard, who is averaging 20.2 points and 15.5 rebounds per game this season, has expressed interest in being traded by the Magic. He can opt out of his current deal after this season and has listed the Lakers, Nets, Mavericks, and recently, the Clippers as preferred teams.

There is no indication the Bulls are actively pursuing Howard. Rose has said this season that he won't recruit the big man either.

The Bulls are coming off a four-point loss to the Heat in Miami on Sunday but still have the best record in the East at 17-5.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.