It could be Miller time in Coors country.

With Gilbert Arenas' salary demands possibly being too high, Andre Miller of the Los Angeles Clippers has emerged as a more viable point guard option for the Denver Nuggets entering the free-agent signing period.

"It's definitely a consideration," Miller said Sunday from his Sacramento, Calif., home about signing this summer with the Nuggets.

Throughout the season, Arenas, named the NBA's Most Improved Player for Golden State, was thought to be at the top of Denver's list. But Miller might prove to be a better bargain.

Dan Fegan, Arenas' agent, is likely to push for a contract with a first- year salary of about $9 million when teams begin negotiating Tuesday with free agents. Teams can't sign players until July 16.

Fegan's thinking apparently is that Arenas, a restricted free agent who can't sign with Golden State for more than the midlevel exception of $4.6 million because of the team's salary-cap situation, could return for one season at that amount. He then could sign a seven-year maximum deal with the Warriors, which would start at about $10 million.

If that were to occur, Arenas would make more in the long run with the Warriors than if he signed with the Nuggets for a first-year salary of $7 million, about all Denver might want to pay.