Boston Celtic fans and media types are imploring Danny Ainge to do anything possible to win as soon as possible.

Horrible advice.

The Celtics’ future begins at Thursday’s draft (7 p.m., ESPN), where they hold a whopping eight of the 60 picks in the two-round draft, including Nos. 3, 16 and 23 overall.

If this were the NFL draft, Patriot fans would be as excited as a pimple-faced freshman invited to the prom by Zac Efron or the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition cover girl.

And think of the pressure on killjoy Bill Belichick to trade down that often!

But the NBA is a superstar league and the odds are far, far greater to get an elite talent at the top of the draft. Especially for a franchise/city like Boston which isn’t considered desirable to most free agent NBA stars.

When draft time rolls around, I can never get out of my mind ESPN’s Dick Vitale losing his mind on draft night 2004.

Orlando was going to be making the biggest mistake since my wife said “I do” if it chose high schooler Dwight Howard over junior Emeka Okafor, the national player of the year for national champion UConn.

Okafor was Rookie of the Year … the high point of his career.

Of course, Howard has become an eight-time All-Star and Okafor a zero-time All-Star.

The lesson: in the draft, talent trumps experience so be patient.

Cleveland just won the NBA title despite making one of the biggest gaffes in franchise history.

Shortly after the 2014 draft, LeBron James pressured the Cavs into dealing No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins, a 19-year-old freshman out Kansas, for Kevin Love, who was then 25 and a three-time All-Star.

Wiggins is now 21 and twice the player Love is. The Cavs would be looking at a dynasty if they were patient.

The talk that 18-year-old, 7-1 Dragan Bender is too far away so don’t draft him … that’s crazy.

If you think he’s going to be a star, you have to draft him rather than someone who can produce right away but has little growth potential.

Whatever happens draft night, things can and will change mighty quickly.

Ainge has cap room to spend big bucks on free agents. The C’s are only committed to $27,685,220 next year, third lowest in NBA. Remember the cap next year will be a whopping $94 million … so there is $67 million left.

Also, with the eight picks this year and coveted picks in 2017 and 2018 (thanks, Nets), Boston might stash some players for a year or two overseas and definitely will be wheeling and dealing on the trade front.

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E-mail Michael Muldoon at mmuldoon@eagletribune.com

FEELING A DRAFT

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: Barclay’s Center, Brooklyn

Television: ESPN

BUSY BOSTON

The Celtics have a stunning eight picks:

FIRST ROUND, 3 picks:

No. 3, from Brooklyn, Kevin Garnett-Paul Pierce 2013 trade; No. 16, from Dallas, Rajon Rondo 2015 trade; No. 23

SECOND ROUND, 5 picks

Nos. 31, 35, 45, 51 and 58