There's something more important than getting a championship. Pierce has stood for the culture of this team for more than a decade. His value is much more than the contribution on the court, and his current contract was actually a bargain for the Celtics at the time Pierce agreed the deal.
If Danny dumps Pierce just to lower the payroll for one single season, I simply won't follow the Celtics next season, and we know they're not going to contend anyway. Moreover, I bet somewhere a bald dude will laugh at us if it really happens.
Actually pierce voiced that he wanted out of Boston and was also a terd for quite a bit of his celtics tenure. He wouldn't be here and he's only here because Danny got him some help in KG and Ray. So Pierce actually owes a lot to Ainge.
You're missing the point as to why pierce would be waived. He'd never be dumped just for payroll purposes for the Celtics. He's worth more to the organization just selling jerseys and tickets than to just dump him...we'd still be over the cap. He'd be dumped so another team can use his contract as a way to lower their payroll thus giving us assets, or he'd be dumped to a contender so they can use his veteran leadership to actually win a championship, again to give us assets.
Pierce will always be a Celtic. If we can get something that gets us closer to the next championship for his whale of a deal then that's great, the name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back, and Pierce knows this and understands that whatever happens, happens.
The day the Lakers overtake us is a sad day. If he were to get rid of Pierce, no matter what route he takes, Pierce will be picked up by a contender one way or the other.
Ps. There's nothing that's more important than winning a championship