LOS ANGELES — Coach Doc Rivers has said he’ll resign from the Los Angeles Clippers if Donald Sterling remains owner, the team’s interim CEO testified, saying such a move would be a “disaster” for the franchise.

“If Mr. Sterling continues as owner, he does not want to continue as coach,” Richard Parsons said in court Tuesday, recounting recent conversations with Rivers.

His testimony was a rare foray into the basketball side of the Clippers at a probate-court trial that has focused on the narrow question of whether Sterling’s wife, Shelly, can sell the team for $2 billion to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer as the NBA looks to force Donald Sterling from the league over racist statements.

Shelly Sterling is scheduled to return to the stand Wednesday as the final witness, with the two sides returning for closing arguments next week.

Parsons, a former chief executive at Time Warner and Citigroup who took over leadership of the Clippers in May during the media blitz surrounding the banishment of Sterling, said under questioning by Ballmer’s lawyer that the departure of Rivers would “accelerate the death spiral” of the Clippers.

“If Doc were to leave, that would be a disaster,” Parsons said. “Doc is the father figure, the one who leads.”

Team representatives said Rivers had no comment on the testimony.

Parsons said he fears there would also be an exodus of key players, including team captain Chris Paul.

The judge stopped Parsons from giving an account of his conversations with Paul when an NBA lawyer objected over privacy issues.

Parsons said corporate sponsors and season ticket holders would likely be the next to leave.

“If your coach leaves, if your players don’t want to play with you, what do you have?” Parsons asked. “If your sponsors leave and the fans leave, it’s going to spiral down and down.”