Whatever his Clippers role, Paul Pierce seems ready to roll with it

Paul Pierce seems pretty agreeable for someone whom Doc Rivers once couldn’t even get to pass the ball.

The new Clipper will play small forward or power forward. He’ll start or come off the bench. He’ll try to play in all 82 games if needed or occasionally rest to stay fresh for the playoffs.

Whatever his coach wants appears to be fine with the 17-year veteran, which is fairly amazing considering their start together with the Boston Celtics during the 2004-05 season.

“We bumped heads literally our whole first year,” Rivers recalled Sunday after the Clippers’ second day of training camp at UC Irvine.

Rivers was trying to get Pierce, already a three-time All-Star, to become more unselfish, trusting his younger teammates to help the prolific scorer accelerate Boston’s rebuilding efforts.

Pierce was reluctant until late in the season, when he walked into Rivers’ office and agreed to his coach’s plan. Three years later, the Celtics beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

Rivers said the success was largely because of Pierce’s willingness to change.

“That was all on Paul,” Rivers said of a player who over the summer signed a three-year, $10.5-million contract with the Clippers. “When a guy does that, the respect you have for him is amazing.”

Pierce said Sunday that he believed he once fought with Rivers because they share the same birth date — Oct. 13 — and zodiac sign. Libras are believed by some to resist the opinions of those who challenge their ideas.

“Libras kind of clash, I’ve noticed, because my mom is a Libra and I used to clash with her a lot,” Pierce said. “I didn’t really appreciate her until I got older, and I think as I got older with Doc I learned to appreciate him also.”

Pierce played power forward with the second unit Sunday, something he could do at times this season as part of a small-ball lineup. Rivers is also considering using Pierce as his starting small forward, though the coach said he would be careful not to overuse a player who will turn 38 next month.

That could also entail sitting Pierce out some of the Clippers’ 20 back-to-back situations, though Rivers said it would be something he would feel out as the season goes along.

One thing the Clippers want Pierce to use as much as possible is his voice. His presence has already made a tangible impact in the early going of training camp.

“He gives a certain juice and swagger to a practice,” shooting guard J.J. Redick said.

A good call

Redick couldn’t complain about the officiating this summer. He provided it.

Redick presided over his sister’s wedding at her request after obtaining his license as an ordained minister. It was a struggle to suppress his emotions while performing the service.

“I’ve cried at every wedding I’ve been to, including my Little League baseball coach’s daughter, who I did not know,” Redick said. “Their marriage lasted five months, but whatever.”

Redick joked that he was available to officiate weddings for $150.

“I take tips,” he said.

Last man standing

Rivers said he wouldn’t necessarily break camp with the maximum of 15 players unless one of those vying for the final roster spot — Luc Mbah a Moute, Chuck Hayes or Nikoloz Tskitishvili — “blows us away and deserves it.”

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch