INDEPENDENCE — The Cavaliers are currently accepting applications for the position of foreman. Actually, they’re looking for four men, as in power forwards, but the position still requires a blue-collar work ethic.
Ben Wallace, who is 34 and entering his 13th NBA season, will be the likely starter, with Anderson Varejao serving as his primary backup, but both those players will also get minutes backing up 33-year-old center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
In need of someone to step up as the team’s fourth big man, coach Mike Brown has spent the early part of training camp trying different players at the power forward position. Rookie J.J. Hickson, veteran insurance policy Lorenzen Wright, starting small forward LeBron James and even swingman Wally Szczerbiak, who started at the four spot his final two seasons at Miami (Ohio), have seen action at that position during practice.
In an ideal world, the 20-year-old Hickson will seize the opportunity and earn a spot in the rotation, but that is a lot to ask from someone who played just one season at North Carolina State.
“His talent level allows that optimism to be there,” Brown said.
Hickson is not a great shooter, but in summer league play he showed a quick first step and the ability to score around the basket or draw fouls (and make free throws), qualities the offensively challenged Wallace and Varejao lack.
“You can’t teach some of the things he’s able to do,” Brown said. “If he’s able to do them within the framework of what we want to do as a team, he has a chance to be very good for a long time.”
Hickson, who had the rookie chore of bringing doughnuts to the morning workout Thursday at Cleveland Clinic Courts, is listed at 6-foot-9 and 242 pounds, but he doesn’t shy away from contact around the hoop.
“Summer league was a big confidence booster,” he said. “I think I showed a lot of people what I can do.
“I’m explosive enough to play around the rim. I’m not the average big man (in terms of height), but I can get the job done. … My heart is bigger than most guys who play. That gets you a lot.”
Learning Brown’s complex defensive concepts is another story — “J.J. is busting his behind trying,” the coach said — which is why the Cavs are also exploring their options when it comes to going to a smaller lineup.
With an abundance of quality point guards in Mo Williams, Daniel “Boobie” Gibson and Delonte West, Cleveland will look to get those players some minutes at shooting guard, which would then free someone like Sasha Pavlovic or Szczerbiak to shift to small forward, with James moving to power forward.
That would basically make the point guard, shooting guard, small forward and power forward spots interchangeable, with the Cavs even having the luxury of going smaller and using Wallace, Varejao or Hickson at center in place of Ilgauskas.
“I like what I’m seeing,” Wallace said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who can do a lot of different things.”
Added Ilgauskas: “This is probably the most talent we’ve had since (James) has been here. We’re deep at almost every position.”
The Cavs, however, could still use another person to step up as a four man, which is why they’re auditioning different players and not pushing Hickson too much.
“He’s doing OK,” Brown said of the rookie. “This is a different environment than what he’s used to. He will get used to this environment sooner rather than later.”
Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4061 or rickn@ohio.net. 

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