My silver lining is this team seems to perform best when expectations are lowered and their backs are against the wall. So hopefully this has that effect.
This is along the lines of what I'm hoping/thinking.
Before any of this happened, I was a little uncomfortable with the C's being the preseason favorite. Beating Brooklyn without Simmons, Milwaukee without Middleton (and still went down 3-2), Miami with only the ghost of Kyle Lowry. Even with that, if not for a spectacular play to end game 1 vs Brooklyn, a wide open Butler miss at the end of Game 7 vs the Heat (after letting a 13 point lead with 3:35 left get down to 2 with Miami with the ball), maybe last season ends up looking completely different. Plus there's the teams the Celtics didn't face (I'm always scared of Embiid, a healthy Clippers). Don't get me wrong, I like the C's chances going into 2023, but a lot went right for the team in 2022 too.
I was worried they'd come in acting like a return to the Finals was guaranteed, and not be hungry enough to make it back.
So my hope, this shakes the team up in a good way, a challenge to keep them sharp. If you thought you could coast this season, think again.