Danny's job ALWAYS has to be to make the team better. True, he can do present or future planning, but he can't justify keeping a player because he wants (or think fans want) to see him retire in green.
I have not given up on the core of this team -- and apparently, based on DA's trade deadline decisions, he hasn't yet either. Perhaps that will change if the C's continue their downward trend and make a quick exit from the playoffs. But, if the C's get it back together to at least be competitive with the big boys, DA's best bet continues to be to play for the present. It is not impossible for him to tweak the current roster in a way that makes them a better team next year. It may involve a bold move or 2, but the core is still stronger than all but a handful of NBA teams.
I'm still waiting to see how this season plays out. Unlike a couple weeks ago though, I am mostly concerned with Pierce rather than KG. Other than a great game against Charlotte (it was Charlotte, right?), he has been abysmal. And Pierce CAN improve dramatically, and this will change the team dramatically.