DENVER — Brooklyn Nets guard Jerry Stackhouse is likely to retire after this season. But he won’t be done with basketball.
The 18-year veteran said it’s “highly unlikely’’ he will play next season. He then anticipates having a role with the NBA Players Association.
“It’s not completely sold that I don’t get the bug (to play) again,'' Stackhouse told FOX Sports Florida before Friday's game at Denver. "But, really, I think this is an opportune time to kind of step to the forefront to do something with the union and try to make sure we select the right executive director.’’
Stackhouse is first vice president for a union that is in disarray. Former executive director Billy Hunter was ousted unanimously at the All-Star Game last month in Houston after he had been accused of financial irregularities and had been criticized for hiring family members.
Although traditionally members of the executive committee have had to be active players, Stackhouse expects he will be allowed to fill out his term after having retired. Stackhouse, 38, was elected to a four-year term last month.
“We’re kind of right now thinking of adopting that the guys we voted in serve their terms,’’ said Stackhouse, who has averaged 17.0 points in his career with eight teams, including 2010-11 with the Miami Heat.
Stackhouse figures his role after this season would include helping the union select an executive director and keeping players updated on the process.
“I want to be a guy that will be able to deliver the information that we deal with on a day-to-day basis with our union and get the message back out to the players and get their feedback,’’ said Stackhouse, the highest ranking member of the union executive committee behind only president Derek Fisher, an Oklahoma City guard. “I’ve played in all these eras, been through all these lockouts (1998-99 and last season). I’ve seen them all.
“The search is on (for an executive director). We’re going to find that right person to help build a union that our body can really be proud of.’’
Stackhouse told FOX Sports Florida last year that after he retired he wanted to go the Mark Jackson route. That would be getting into broadcasting and then becoming an NBA head coach without having to be an assistant.
Stackhouse, averaging 4.7 points for Nets as a deep reserve, said that path remains a goal. However, first he wants to help the union become stable.
“I’m always going to be part of the game in some capacity,’’ he said. “I’m a basketball lifer. I got a Ph.D in it.’’
Chris Tomasson can be reached at
christomasson@hotmail.com or on Twitter @christomasson.
