Allen: Sonics were simply right choice

Ray Allen listened to pitches from Cleveland, Atlanta, the Los Angeles Clippers and others.

In the end, the All-Star guard decided staying with the Seattle SuperSonics was the right choice for him.

“I wanted someone to say something to knock me off my feet. And I was very disappointed,” Allen said Wednesday after signing a five-year contract extension with the SuperSonics. “This organization, I knew what it was all about.”

Coming off the best season of his career, Allen signed a deal worth as much as $85 million – $80 million in salary and as much as $5 million in incentives. Allen’s agent, Lon Babby, announced July 5 that an agreement had been reached, but the deal wasn’t signed until Wednesday.

Allen, who just turned 30, returns to a different Seattle squad than the one that surprised the NBA by winning 52 games and the Northwest Division title last year.

Most notably, coach Nate McMillan darted down to Portland to become the Trail Blazers’ coach. Reserve guard Antonio Daniels and starting center Jerome James also left, signing free-agent contracts with Washington and New York, respectively.

Allen recommended longtime assistant Bob Weiss to take McMillan’s place. The Sonics hired Weiss as head coach last month.

“I always thought Bob, he seemed like the guy who knew it all,” Allen said. “I have no doubt in my mind he has the ability to do the job and do it in a fashion that everybody will be pleased.”

Last year, Allen averaged a career-high 23.9 points per game – 10th in the league.

Blazers make moves

The Portland Trail Blazers agreed to terms with free-agent guards Juan Dixon and Charles Smith, while waiving veterans Nick Van Exel and Derek Anderson. Terms were not released.

Dixon comes to Portland after three years with Washington Wizards. He averaged 8.2 points and 1.6 assists with 23 starts with Washington.

Smith, a shooting guard, last played in the NBA with the Blazers in 2003. He played in Europe last season.

Around the league

The Phoenix Suns, who have lost one shooting guard this summer and are close to losing another, signed free agent Raja Bell to a five-year contract worth just under $24 million. Bell, a former Utah Jazz co-captain, who has started just 80 of his 299 career games, is likely to be a regular this season. Last season, he set career highs in scoring (12.3), rebounds (3.2), assists (1.5), field-goal percentage (.454) and minutes (28.4).

•Milwaukee Bucks center Zaza Pachulia signed a $16 million, four-year offer sheet with the Atlanta Hawks. The 21-year-old Pachulia is a restricted free agent, meaning the Bucks have seven days to match the offer. Pachulia, a two-year veteran, averaged 6.2 points and 5.1 rebounds for the Bucks as a backup last season.

•The Orlando Magic signed free-agent point guard Keyon Dooling. Terms weren’t disclosed.

The 25-year-old Dooling averaged 5.2 points and 1.8 assists in 16 minutes a game last season with the Miami Heat.