Ray Allen playing for today

There is a checklist that he keeps in his head. Ray Allen created it shortly after arriving to Seattle in a trade that sent Gary Payton to the Milwaukee Bucks, and until yesterday he refused to reveal the list to anyone.

Carry the Sonics to a winning season. Check.

Maintain his string of consecutive All-Star appearances intact. Check.

Nurture the younger players. Check.

Return the Sonics to the playoffs for the first time since the 2001-02 season. Check.

"I feel vindication after having been sent away from Milwaukee and being able to come here and help this team be successful and win," Allen said yesterday, the eve of the Sonics' Western Conference first-round series opener against Sacramento. "Where this team was, it was somewhat in a downward spiral. But we rebuilt it in the last year and half, and we're in a good place now."

There are a few more items on that list, which may be accomplished depending upon the Sonics' success in the playoffs and Allen's renegotiations with the team in the summer.

Despite all that he has done during his 2 ½ seasons in Seattle, Allen believes it still may not be enough to guarantee a return.

"It's tough because I believe it," he said. "I know that I'll be judged. You would think after 82 games you'd say, 'He did his job,' and I guess that's the pressure I'll continue to put upon myself. It's still more games for me to solidify myself as a free agent and what I warrant. It's another opportunity for me.

"I know I'll still get judged, but I feel like I have done enough to guarantee some type of position in free agency on any team next year."

Though neither side will confirm it, serious contract talks between Allen's agent Lon Babby and Sonics general manager Rick Sund broke off months ago, shortly after the All-Star break.

The negotiations ended almost exactly where they began, according to a source with knowledge of the dealings. Allen is still adamant on receiving a near-max deal at roughly $90 million over five years. The Sonics countered with a $68 million proposal.

Discussing his deal less than 24 hours before the start of the playoffs made Allen uneasy, and yet his commitment to the Sonics has not wavered — even if he suspects their commitment to him is uncertain.

"The more I can win the more solid footing I have, the more ground I have to stand on," Allen said. "That's definitely my goal, but again, my contract, I don't even think about it right now because it's time to play basketball right now. ... Eighty-two games is done now. The money that I made is over with. Now I'm getting paid what everybody else is getting paid these next couple of weeks.

"I've hopefully solidified what I can do and I can carry a team to the playoffs. To win now is the most important thing. Whatever happens with this contract, hopefully they know what they are going to do already and what direction we are going to move in so we'll be good over the next couple of years to come."

In his three playoff appearances in Milwaukee, Allen averaged 24.2 points, which is significantly better than his 20.6 career average.

The Bucks never made it past the first round in Allen's first two playoff appearances, but during the 2000-01 season they advanced to the Eastern Conference finals before running into Philadelphia.

"Ray Allen was an exceptional player for us during that run and probably played what I consider the best basketball that he ever played during our time together," said Denver coach George Karl, who directed Milwaukee between 1998 and 2002. "We had a lot of ways we could go with Sam (Cassell), Glenn (Robinson) and Tim Thomas. But more often, we went to Ray and he delivered."

The Bucks advanced to the Eastern Conference finals before losing in Game 7. Allen scored a team-high 26 points, but after he banged knees with Eric Snow in the third quarter, Milwaukee's chances of advancing to the NBA Finals were dashed.

The Bucks trailed by six points when he was carried to the locker room and were down by 12 early in the fourth when he returned.

"The thing I remember most about the series was that Game 7, but the tell-tale game was actually Game 6 in Milwaukee, where he had a great performance," said Orin Mayers, Allen's executive assistant. "It was very intense. I think he had 41 in that game.

"What I remember about that game was how badly they beat up on Philly. I think they were up by 30. They had to win that game to force Game 7. ... With Ray and the playoffs, his intensity on the court changed a little bit. It's not as jokey. Ray will have fun with guys on the court. It's a little more businesslike or workmanlike."

Allen recognizes the difference between the regular season and the playoffs, but keeps his regimen the same. He downplays the wins and defeats. He'll take over when needed but prefers to play the part of playmaker early in games.

He'll continue to arrive at the arena roughly three hours before the game to get in a light workout while the building is still nearly empty. And he'll soften his comments to the media, so he doesn't give the opposition bulletin-board material.

All of this he learned in Milwaukee.

"With Milwaukee, we reached the Eastern Conference finals and the next year, we didn't make the playoffs," Allen said. "So yeah, it's great to enjoy this and say we'll have chances to come back, but I know. Let's take this as far as we can right now.

"Let's go for the whole thing, because even if we bring everybody back, including myself, you never know what's going to happen next season. Even for me, this could be my last playoffs with this team, so let's go for the whole thing."

Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com