Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce has had quite the commentating career so far post-retirement. Although he is known for trolling and letting loose with controversial takes, the 10-time NBA All-Star may have taken it too far on Monday.

While discussing the Eastern Conference Semifinals series between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks on FS1's show Undisputed, Pierce accidentally used a racial slur.

Warning: The following video contains language that some might find offensive.

Using crude language on live TV isn't ideal, especially considering Pierce's history. Back in 2021, the Basketball Hall of Fame inductee was fired by ESPN for smoking and drinking around scantily clad women at a party on Instagram Live.

Will history repeat itself three years later?

Pierce is entertaining as an NBA commentator, but he needs to work on media training

ansas Jayhawks former player Paul Pierce cheers before the game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four championship game at Caesars Superdome.
© Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
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Taking immediate responsibility would be a good step for Pierce to take in the fallout of this incident. Although he didn't do anything illegal in the Instagram Live video, he admitted that it broke a morality clause in his contract, via the All the Smoke podcast.

Granted, the morality clause may have been harsh, but Pierce still signed the fine print. It's important for anyone with a contract in their hands to closely look at the terms before signing. If he thought the clause was too harsh, he should have either tried to negotiate it or simply walk away.

While Pierce's contractual terms with FS1 aren't public, it's safe to assume there's a clause prohibiting him from using foul language on air. While humans are mistake-prone, there's a reason why media training exists. It helps avoid these slip-ups as just one mistake can damage a network's brand.

Pierce is an entertaining personality that often goes viral for NBA-related takes. Those moments are good for the game's culture, but making headlines for the wrong reasons multiple times isn't a good look for anybody.

In the future, it would be good for Pierce to take some media training courses in order to polish up for the camera. The 2008 NBA champion doesn't need to lose his trademark flavor, but balance is key.