The mechanic said the wheel wouldn't rotate freely. Also, the night before I had it inspected, while at a stop light, the car wouldn't move under idle power and it sounded as if I was partially applying the brakes (the slipping sound you hear when there is just barely enough pressure on the pads to keep the car stopped). I needed to apply power to get rolling. It felt like I was dragging a sled, and my gas mileage was significantly lower during that time, too.
My observations combined with the mechanic telling me the wheels didn't turn freely confirmed for me that it's the brakes. If it is an issue with bushings, then I will take that path once I make this repair. For $200 in parts (calipers, rotors and pads), I wont be too bent out of shape if this isn't the complete answer. She said she was on the brakes when she hit the pothole, so it seems reasonable that the impact could have transmitted to the brakes.
I don't mind doing brake jobs either, but the last time I replaced rotors, I had a real bitch of a time removing the caliper bracket bolts on one wheel, and couldn't change that rotor. I used the longest breaker bar I could fit in the wheel well, and then an impact wrench. I didn't have a torch available, which may have solved that problem. Moot point, as that car got flooded a few months later during hurricane Sandy.