We’ve talked about Brooklyn Nets’ Jerry Stackhouse being more than just a coach-type, but he’s still focused on being a eventually being a coach one day. Stackhouse told Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com that he thinks he’s put in the time over the last four years mentoring younger players and that he could retire after this season.

“I feel like I’ve bought my time, and hopefully somebody will see it that way. Then I can step away from the game, kind of step away from the guys because I’m still kind of grouped with them somewhat,” Stackhouse told Mazzeo. “But I think the fact that I was brought in as a player/coach started to give me a little bit of separation from that, and people are trying to really take me seriously as a coach.”

“I don’t know (when I’m going to retire). The last four years have kind of been my last year,” he said. “Milwaukee was gonna be the last year. Miami was gonna be the last year. Atlanta was gonna be the last year. And now Brooklyn (might be) be my last year.”

Stackhouse might have been brough in as a player/coach, but because of injuries early on he has gotten more playing time than expected and he’s taking advantage of it scoring 18 points with 3.6 assists per 36 minutes, his highest numbers since 2004-05. He’s playing well and he conspicuously didn’t close the door on one more season. Perhaps if he’s not offered a coaching job somewhere he’ll stick around.