LeBron James says ‘there will be a time’ when he responds to trash talk

It didn’t take long into LeBron James’ career before he became the focus of trash talk. Realistically, coming in with so much hype and buzz made him a pretty easy target.

In recent months, specifically, LeBron has drawn the attention of two of his playoff foes from the spring. Dillon Brooks’ implosion with the Grizzlies was not just funny in the moment but will likely go down in the lore of LeBron’s career.

The Western Conference Finals, however, will not be remembered fondly. The Lakers were swept and the Nuggets made sure the Lakers knew all about it the remainder of the summer.

Through it all, LeBron remained typically tight-lipped. Save for an Instagram post directed at Brooks and one directed at Denver, LeBron made no comments to the media about either situation, no matter what was said.

On Saturday, LeBron was asked if there would ever be an instance when he would fire back at the trash talking, specifically from Brooks and the Nuggets.

“There will be a time,” LeBron said, via Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports. “When that time is, I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s now. There will be a time. There will be a time when everybody will get it.”

For the heaps of criticism thrown his way, LeBron has very rarely responded to it in a war of words in the media, at least in the latter stages of his career. It was particularly notable during the Grizzlies series when Brooks was throwing jabs anytime a mic was around him while LeBron — and the Lakers as a whole — refused to return serve.

It’s hard to imagine LeBron changing his ways during his career, but him alluding to a time when he throws barbs back is interesting. If there was ever someone who could pull off a version of Michael Jordan’s “Last Dance” and have it be anywhere nearly as captivating, it would be LeBron.

For now, the even-keeled LeBron will likely continue. And considering how poorly that has gone for basically everyone that has tried to trash talk him in the past, it’s a wonder they keep trying it.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.