Clippers coach Doc Rivers to quit if Sterling Stays

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Interim CEO of Los Angeles Clippers, Richard Parsons, testified last Tuesday saying that current Clippers coach, Doc Rivers has informed him that he will quit of Donald Sterling remains the owner of the franchise.

Parson testified on a case that will determine whether Sterling's wife, Shelly Sterling, has the rights to sell the NBA franchise for $2 billion. She has planned to sell the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. According to him "''Doc is troubled by this maybe more so than anybody else. If Mr. Sterling continues as owner, he does not want to continue as coach."

According to Parson, there are also a key of notable players who will quit the team and one of them is the team captain Chris Paul who also heads the NBA players union. When asked what would the impact of Rivers departure he answered "the death spiral." He added "''If Doc were to leave, that would be a disaster. ''Doc is the father figure, the one who leads."

Parson was a former chief executive at Time Warner and Citigroup. He took over as the CEO of Clippers during the eruption of the issue around Sterling. He is also considered as an expert in the management of big corporations. He said that big corporations would pull out their sponsorship if Sterling will remain with the Clippers.

He said "''If your coach leaves, if your players don't want to play with you, what do you have? ''If your sponsors leave and the fans leave, it's going to spiral down and down."

He also said that no one will offer a much higher appraisal for Clippers as much as Ballmer. This opinion was also seconded by witness Anwar Zakkour. Zakkouris an investment banker who helped broker the deal for Ballmer's purchase. He said that he did not expect Ballmer to offer a big bid for the team.

When asked why Ballmer would offer such a high price for the team, he answered "was a trophy asset." He continued "'This is the highest price ever achieved for a sports team. way you count it, this is an amazing price that anyone should be satisfied with."

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