"With one move made and another that wasn't, the Raptors sent a couple of messages yesterday as they get ready to enter the NBA free agency waters.

The team extended a qualifying offer to Pops Mensah-Bonsu that was little more than a bookkeeping move to give themselves some frontcourt protection but did not offer the same to Joey Graham, which makes it almost certain he won't be back with the team.

For Mensah-Bonsu, the qualifying offer is for slightly more than $1 million (all figures U.S.) with absolutely no guarantees, making it highly unlikely he'll sign it. But because they made the offer, the Raptors retain the right to match any offer he gets as a restricted free agent, protecting themselves if general manager Bryan Colangelo makes a deal to clear up a frontcourt logjam."