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We can all agree that this Raptors season is boned, right? So can anyone explain to me why Roko Ukic's minutes have declined in each of the past four games — culminating in a combined five minutes of playing time against the Heat and Jazz?
On a related note, why did Jay Triano play Jose Calderon for 37 minutes yesterday? For the fans' enjoyment of watching Jose clap in Deron Williams face while he drove past him for an uncontested dunk, I presume?
I'm not saying that Ukic is a future All-Star, but he is a compelling prospect and it's becoming increasingly apparent that Calderon has several significant flaws that he'll probably never overcome. Plus, Ukic is just plain fun to watch — and if the Raptors are going to lose anyway, I'd at least like to have something enjoyable to watch and write about as the team's death spiral continues.
(Speaking of the Raptors' point guard situation, it's becoming increasingly fashionable to suggest that the Raptors picked the wrong horse in the Calderon-T.J. Ford battle. I should point out that Ford isn't exactly tearing it up in Indiana, himself — his assists per 36 minutes are down from 9.4 last season to 6.0 this season. I suspect that this has as much to do with how easy it is to get assists on a team with as many good shooters as the Raptors as it is an indictment of his ball-hogging tendencies. If Calderon gets traded in the near future, I predict his assists will drop by at least two dimes per 36.)
This isn't about tanking — well, not entirely. Jose has a sore hammy so I don't see the point in continuing to give him so many minutes when there is absolutely no chance of this team making the playoffs. Ideally, the Raptors would just have Calderon sit out the rest of the season. If that's not going to happen, then Ukic should at least be splitting minutes with him over the remaining 18 games. Let's see if his amazing performance against the Spurs last month was a fluke.
While we're at it, let's limit Chris Bosh to 25-30 minutes and give Pops Mensah-Bonsu some burn. I won't be happy if we don't get to see at least one Ukic-to-Mensah-Bonsu alley-oop before the rest of the season. Mind you, that would require Ukic to actually pass the ball, so I probably shouldn't get my hopes up.
Come on, people! Let's give this movement some Roko-motion! I don't know if a comment thread on RaptorBlog carries more weight that any of those other pointless online petitions, but it can't hurt, right?
Raptors fans beseech you, Bryan Colangelo and Jay Triano: Free Roko! 
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