The Detroit Pistons have coveted Glen Davis for years, according to an A. Sherrod Blakely report, and will likely be one of his most passionate free agent suitors. (CSNNE)

One of Boston’s biggest challengers for Davis will be Detroit, a team that has coveted Davis for a number of years.

And the Pistons may be willing to offer Davis the full mid-level exception which is worth $5 million in the yet-to-be-ratified new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Celtics have Davis’ Bird Rights which would allow them to exceed the salary cap to re-sign him.

Meanwhile, Danny Ainge called Davis almost as soon as NBA rules allowed him to. (Boston Herald)

“It’s my understanding that Danny called Glen early this morning and expressed his desire to have Glen back,” said John Hamilton, Davis’ representative.

Hamilton wouldn’t say much beyond that, but the sides have been talking for several days about what it will take to retain Big Baby.

I’m convinced the Celtics don’t want to sign Davis to a long-term extension (or maybe that’s just me hoping they maintain cap flexibility in the coming years). But if the market for Davis is $5 million per season, that might change things.

Davis — for all his flaws, and there are several — is a versatile big man who can play both power forward and center. In a league where Brendan Haywood makes $9 million a year and DeAndre Jordan could very well surpass that total this season, it’s a good deal to pay $5 million per year for a reasonably skilled offensive player who recently learned how to impact a game on both ends. I still (desperately) want the Celtics to prioritize the future ahead of the now (sorry Ray, Paul and Kevin), but $5 million per year — if indeed that’s Davis’ price tag — is undeniably enticing.

Leon Powe went to the L.A. Defenders’ NBA D-League game Monday night and told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin he is looking at two teams — the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies.

Considering they have nearly nothing to spend, the Celtics could probably do worse than Powe. Sure, he has played just 50 games since leaving the Celtics two full seasons ago. His knees are more beat up than Chris Brown’s ex-girlfriends. He scored in double figures exactly five times last year and averaged just 8.8 minutes per game in 16 games with the Grizzlies (he played 30 games overall last season, averaging 13.3 minutes for the Cavs). But the Celtics need to do their share of bargain shopping this offseason. And Powe, if he can get healthy (admittedly a ginormous if), could be a bargain.

Plus, this is LEON POWE, who scored 21 points against the Lakers in the glorious 2008 NBA Finals, after which Phil Jackson mispronounced his name “Pow” during a diatribe against the officials. Who played three minutes after tearing his ACL against Chicago in 2009. Whose father walked out on his family when Powe was just two years old. Whose mother battled drug addiction. Whose brother accidentally burned down the family’s house, after which the Powes became homeless, making more than 30 temporary stops during Leon’s childhood. Whose ACL tear in 2009 was supposed to end his career, but caused Doc Rivers to think this instead:

“To me, [Leon's return] will be a success story in a lot of ways, because a lot of people didn’t think he would ever play again,” Rivers told the Boston Globe.  “When he got hurt, I heard that the first time, I said people clearly don’t know who Leon Powe is. That kid will always be a success story.’’

None of the facts in the two prior paragraphs will help Leon Powe average a double-double next season. But the Celtics have seven roster spots to fill. Even if Powe isn’t healthy enough to make a major difference, I wouldn’t mind him on the sideline earning the veteran’s minimum. Call me sappy. Call me blinded by a sense of loyalty which still remains from Powe’s formative years in Boston. Call me a fool, if you insist. All signs say Leon Powe is a shell of his former self and, at this point, an 11th or 12th man. I know this. Yet I still have a soft spot in my heart.

It’s a shame Powe’s knees work as well as the VCR my family threw away seven years ago. Then again, if his knees were any more healthy, he’d probably be out of Boston’s price range. Ya know, just like every other worthwhile free agent.*

*Can you tell I’m bitter the Celtics have no money and the new CBA will likely allow them to use only the mini mid-level exception rather than the full one? I thought you could. When Vince Carter and Kwame Brown start to look appetizing, bitterness tends to set in.

The Boston Celtics are not one of the four teams ESPN reports are most interested in adding Chris Paul. But the Celtics are nonetheless reportedly willing to trade for Paul even if he does not sign a contract extension. (ESPN)

The Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks have shown the most interest in trading for Paul, according to sources briefed on the talks.

There is also a small handful of teams that has informed the Hornets they are prepared to trade for Paul with no assurance that they can keep him beyond this season. That list, sources say, includes the Rockets, Boston Celtics and defending champion Dallas Mavericks.

Each of those teams would be gambling that Paul would be won over by his new surroundings and either elect to play out the final season of his current contract (valued at $17.8 million in 2012-13) or opt out of his contract on July 1, 2012, and sign a new deal. Paul’s 2011-12 salary is listed at $16.4 million.

Boston would appear to have the most to offer in such a scenario if the Celtics are willing to include point guard Rajon Rondo, but sources say that the Hornets are convinced that they can receive more from any of the so-called gambling teams than from the Knicks, who are widely regarded as Paul’s No. 1 preferred destination.

I might think differently tomorrow, and I might flip-flop again the next day, but right now I wouldn’t do it. Rajon Rondo’s a top-five point guard. He’s one of the league’s smartest players. He improves by miles every season. He changes games defensively and he’s tougher than the rottweiler that ran straight through my fence last year. He’s not quite as good as Chris Paul, but he comes cheaper and he’s close enough to Paul’s level that trading for Paul as a possible one-year rental simply doesn’t make sense…

But if the Celtics somehow acquire Paul tomorrow, they’d have a full season to convince Paul to sign and a number of assets remaining to throw at Orlando (Dwight Howard, people!). I’m not saying Ainge should pull the trigger — I wouldn’t pull the trigger myself — but it’s a risk that could yield unfathomably high returns (Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, people!). Then again, it’s a risk that could allow Paul to walk and the Celtics’ cupboard to be bare after the 2011-12 season. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Delonte West, one of my favorite Boston Celtics ever despite his one major bout with legality, is being targeted by the Los Angeles Lakers. (ESPN)

The Lakers have interest in Delonte West, who played for coach Mike Brown in Cleveland and last played for Boston, as a potential fill-in at guard and also are keen on Indiana free agent Josh McRoberts, according to a source with knowledge of their thinking. ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reported that Denver free-agent guard Arron Afflalo is also on the Lakers’ radar.

The elephant in the room, of course, was Orlando’s 6-foot-11, 265-pound center Dwight Howard, whose contract with the Magic expires at the end of the season. Unless Howard signs an extension with the Magic, the expectation is Orlando will trade him and Los Angeles is a possible destination. Stein and ESPN Insider Chad Ford reported this week that L.A. is expected to offer “some combination” of Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom for Howard.

Kupchak side-stepped a direction question about L.A.’s interest in Howard.

“Obviously talking about other team’s players would be considered tampering, so I wouldn’t answer that question,” Kupchak said.

Last offseason, if you can recall, the free agent market for West was very limited because of behavioral issues. Definitely not a veteran’s minimum player, West signed a minimum deal with the Celtics, who were one of few suitors willing to overlook his troublesome recent past.

This offseason, things are probably going to be different. NBA teams know West can play. They know he’s a gamer unafraid of the moment. They know he’s a smart player who can create offense on one end and frustrate offense on the other. And now, after a (mostly) incident-free year in Boston, West’s personal problems are less of an issue.

There’s going to be a market for Delonte West. It already includes the Lakers. The question now becomes whether the Celtics can afford to keep him. Losing West would be a major blow to Boston’s bench, especially if the injury issues that plagued him last season become shelved in the past.

Teams who have been desperate for rebounding for the past three years — and especially those who need to acquire rebounding without spending an obscene amount of money — can do a lot worse than Reggie Evans. For all his flaws, and Evans has many as a player, not least of which is an utter inability to put the ball through the hoop, he’s a rebounding machine.

For comparison’s sake, Evans grabbed 25.7% of all available rebounds last season. Kevin Garnett led Boston in rebounds and grabbed 17.5% of available rebounds. Shaq led Boston by grabbing 8.4% of available offensive rebounds. Evans snatched 17.3%, and somehow elevated the notoriously soft Toronto Raptors to the exact same rebound rate (49.5%) held by Boston.

Evans’ younger brother, Tyreke, has more offensive ability in a single hair follicle than Reggie has in his entire body. Yet Reggie Evans has a specialty — dollar for dollar, he rebounds the ball better than just about anybody in the NBA. He’s not perfect. He’s undersized. He shoots like he’s blindfolded and just spent finished ten rounds of dizzy bat. He once grabbed Chris Kaman’s balls. His beard can get quite unkempt. But with such small pockets, the Celtics need to make decisions this summer to improve their team. And Evans, despite his shortcomings, has the potential to take one of Boston’s biggest weaknesses and turn it into a strength.

Sadly, even Evans might be out of their pay zone. He made $5 million last season and is coming off a career year. Damn you, mini mid-level.

Trade rumors have swirled around Rajon Rondo from time to time for years, but never has the commotion been as loud as it is now, with Danny Ainge rumored to be dogged in his pursuit of Chris Paul.

Since he rarely shows emotions outwardly, it’s difficult to visualize Rondo upset*. But his agent Bill Duffy said the rumors have hit Rondo hard. Duffy also said the Celtics assured him that Rondo is “their guy.” (Boston Herald)

“I’m told that he’s their guy,” Duffy told the Herald. “There’s been repeated interest in him, as there is in other players. But they have high expectations for Rajon now and moving forward.”

Still, the talk that the Celtics are looking to deal Rondo has caused more than a few waves.

“It’s just disturbing,” said Duffy. “It’s disturbing for everybody. It’s disturbing for me. It’s disturbing for him, because it makes one think, ‘Where do I stand in this relationship?’ Particularly because he’s a darn good player, and this is a very successful franchise, and he’s one of the key players on the franchise.”

The chances of Rondo being dealt are unlikely. But I’m convinced Danny Ainge would trade his mother if he thought it would help the Celtics win games.

*unless you remember the second half of last season