Get ready for nine months of non-stop Los Angeles Lakers talk now that former Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is headed to town.

Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times has already declared the Lakers the 2013 NBA champions:

Go ahead and mark it down, with a Sharpie: The Lakers will make it back to the Finals in 2013. And they will win it.

Listen, I get why folks are excited. But we’re talking about the 2013 NBA Finals in August when we don’t know the health status of Howard and how he will fit in with Kobe Bryant, who isn’t exactly the ideal teammate.

But I guess this is what happens when we don’t have a football team to focus on in the fall.

Welcome to Los Angeles, Dwight. And no pressure next season or anything like that to win.