The Denver Nuggets are getting ready to raid the L.A. Clippers roster.  

Chris Thomasson of the Rocky Mountain News reports that the Nuggets are looking at about $17 million in cap space next summer, and are ready to spend it.

With, Elton Brand, Corey Magette, Andre Miller and Lamar Odom  becoming restricted free agents to join unrestricted agent Michael Olowakandi, the Nuggets are poised to pounce.

Thomasson says Corey Magette is a likely target, especially since he would command substantially less than a maximum salary.  Indeed, he suggests the Nug?s objective is Magette (at about $7 million) plus a max or near-max player.

At the same time, he suggests Olowokandi is likely to end up in San Antonio to replace David Robinson and Andre Miller is likely to end up in Utah to replace John Stockton.  San Antonio and Utah are the only two teams expected to have significant cap space.

On the Clippers front, the player they?re most likely to award a max salary, or match another team?s offer, is Elton Brand.

Is Magette likely to make the move to Denver?  "I think Denver is a nice place," he said. "I know (Denver general manager) Kiki (Vandeweghe) very well and some of their staff.

The next question: who will Denver seek for that maximum contract?