The Donald Sterling saga has made it’s way back to basketball as interim CEO of the Los Angeles Clippers Dick Parsons believes coach Doc Rivers will leave the team if Sterling remains the owner.
Parsons testified in state court on Tuesday and said he has had conversations with Rivers and the consensus is he will walk away if the controversial Sterling remains in a position of power.
"If Doc were to leave, that would be a disaster," Parsons said. "Doc is the father figure of the team. Chris [Paul] is the on-court captain of the team. But Doc is really the guy who leads the effort. He's the coach, the grown-up, he's a man of character and ability -- not just in a basketball sense, but in the ability to connect with people and gain their trust. The team believes in him and admires and loves him. If he were to bail, with all the other circumstances, it would accelerate the death spiral.”
The Sterling defense objected the point saying that Rivers should be able to speak for himself and would have to be called as a witness in that scenario.
Parsons admitted that ticket sales haven't dipped in light of Sterling’s actions, but more than 20 sponsors have called the Clippers to check on the status of the team. Parsons said that major sponsors Mandalay Bay and Kia Motors are "sitting at the edge of the pool and don't want to go in the water unless there is resolution" on the ownership situation.
The Clippers are in a difficult spot, but losing Doc Rivers would be the nail in the coffin for a team that just started to find its feet as a contender in the NBA.
[ESPN]
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