Dwight Howard: Why Center's Injury Is Blessing in Disguise for Magic

Orlando Magic fans and basketball fans around the country are bummed out with the news that Dwight Howard will miss the rest of the NBA season and the London Olympics after having back surgery.

But this injury is actually a blessing for the Magic. Team USA's loss is Orlando's gain next year.

Howard will miss the Olympics, and therefore will miss the summer-long grind that comes with it. He'll be fresh and ready to dominate the paint in the NBA next fall, and hopefully with a better supporting cast.

Orlando fans shouldn't be too upset that Howard is out. Let's face it, the Magic didn't have much of a chance to go deep in this year's playoffs anyway.

Sitting at sixth in the Eastern Conference, Stan Van Gundy's crew has been significantly flawed all year. They didn't have enough weapons to make a run to the NBA Finals.

I'm not saying the Magic should just quit on this year. I'm saying they should be excited about the opportunities that the future presents.

Howard will come back much stronger than he would have if he had played in the Olympics. He would have been Team USA's workhorse in the paint, taking the brunt of other teams' physicality. 

Instead of getting banged up and worn down by a summer overseas, Howard will return to the Magic rejuvenated and ready for NBA action.

In the meantime, Orlando must work on getting him a couple of legitimate scoring sidekicks. But for now, Magic fans should look on the bright side: they're going to see a healthier, better version of Superman come next fall.