NBA

Chris Paul would sit out if Sterling remains Clippers owner

Chris Paul might be the only person able to convince Donald Sterling to end his fight to regain control of the Clippers.

Paul revealed to ESPN he and some key teammates are considering sitting out if Sterling still owns the franchise when next season begins.

“That’s something me and Doc [Rivers] are both talking about,” Paul said.

That coincides with interim CEO Dick Parsons’ testimony earlier this week saying Rivers, the influential coach of the Clippers, has mentioned he might stay away from the bench if Sterling is still in control, a scenario Paul called “unacceptable.”

“We’re all going to talk about it,” Paul said. “We’re all definitely going to talk about it. Doc, Blake [Griffin], DJ [DeAndre Jordan].”

The Clippers players were said to have considered boycotting during last season’s playoffs when Sterling’s racist comments were first released, instead opting for more subtle forms of protest.

Sterling is in the thick of a court battle trying to prove the $2 billion sale of the franchise by his wife, Shelley, to Steve Ballmer without his consent was illicit. Sterling has vowed to fight for ownership “as long as he lives.”

Perhaps a boycott by the team’s All-Star point guard and head coach — which threatens to cripple the team in the standings and at the gate — can convince him otherwise.