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Pierce: You 'gotta be an asshоle' for Doc to kick you out of practice

Brian Babineau / National Basketball Association / Getty

Doc Rivers' decision to remove Ben Simmons from a recent practice was out of character for the Philadelphia 76ers head coach, according to one of his former players.

Celtics legend Paul Pierce, who played under Rivers in Boston and later with the Los Angeles Clippers, weighed in on the drama surrounding Simmons and the 76ers this week during an appearance on CLNS Media's "The Cedric Maxwell Podcast."

"If Doc kick you out of practice, that's bad because I ain't never seen (that)," Pierce said. "I think I've seen Doc kick someone out maybe once. Like Doc ain't gonna kick you out for nothing, you know what I'm saying? You really gotta be an asshоle for Doc to kick you out of practice, 'cause Doc's one of the coolest coaches. He understands the player.

"And so I don't know if that relationship can be mended back together. I feel like it's so far gone."

Rivers asked Simmons to leave the 76ers' practice on Oct. 19, and the guard was subsequently suspended for their regular-season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans for conduct detrimental to the team. The coach told reporters he thought Simmons was being a "distraction" and didn't seem interested in participating in what his teammates were doing.

Simmons has yet to appear in a game for Philadelphia this season and reportedly told the team he isn't mentally ready to play to his expectations.

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