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Charles Barkley said last week that Dirk Nowitzki’s “days of being the man are over” and added that the Mavericks are “too old and too slow” to repeat as NBA champs. Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd, who turns 39 next month, disagrees with Barkley’s opinion. The 17-year veteran was asked about Barkley’s comments during a Tuesday radio interview and defended his teammate. “Well everybody is different,” Kidd said on The Ben and Skin Show on 103.3 in Dallas [KESN-FM], according to SportsRadioInterviews.com. “I think Dirk is far from done. I think we all have gotten off to a slow start, but look we are right there at 6th place I think. We still haven’t played anywhere close to good basketball. We have to go into the break being positive and feeling good about ourselves, but the biggest thing is we all understand with our health coming into the second half – we all want to be healthy and ready to play and again have the opportunity to defend our title.” Dallas Morning News

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, Charles Barkley 

The trade deadline would be creeping up in a couple weeks and an avalanche of speculation would already be crashing down on the Mavericks. This year? Nothing. So when do we start hearing every realistic and unrealistic name in the league getting attached to the Mavericks? If you answered “it won’t happen,” you have learned well. Consider yourself capable of running your own fantasy team. The Mavericks “will not jeopardize our flexibility for this summer,” in the words of president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson. He also said Tuesday that while this team hasn’t clicked yet, it will get every opportunity to do so. Dallas Morning News

Dallas Mavericks, Trade, Donnie Nelson 

Mavericks guard Jason Kidd, who has been out with a strained right calf muscle, did not practice with the team today, though he did some light running on the side. Kidd also shot with teammates after practice. "Day-to-day," Kidd said of his status. Dallas Morning News

Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd, Injuries 

The way things have gone so for this season, there's a good chance the Dallas Mavericks may not have anyone representing them in the upcoming NBA All-Star game. And that may be a first for any defending champion. But guard Jason Terry believes he can save the day if the NBA puts him in the three-point shootout. For the past decade, the Mavs could count on forward Dirk Nowitzki playing in the league's mid-season classic. Nowitzki has played in the past 10 All-Star games. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, Jason Terry 

In a chat with Freakonomics, the owner of the Mavericks addressed all kinds of things. Two, in particular, had to do with the league office. In one he was asked about the state of refereeing. Cuban responded: Trust me, I’m still working hard to help the league improve its processes. Like any other profession, there is still room to improve. A reader named Ryan asked Cuban if the new collective bargaining agreement addresses the problems facing the NBA. Cuban's response: No. Not even close. ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, Referees 

"Averaging whatever, 15, 16 points, I don't think you should be an All-Star," Nowitzki said. "But we'll just have to wait and see. I think there is a lot of great young talent in this league that deserves to go. I think LaMarcus Aldridge has been stiff the last couple of years. He's a great young player, fun to watch. You know Blake and Love are playing great. There is a lot of talent at my position." Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett and San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan are the only players with longer active All-Star appearance streaks than Nowitzki. ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki 

Nevertheless, Nowitzki said he wouldn't care much if his All-Star streak ends this season. "To me, it's more about getting right again and getting my body back in rhythm and getting used to all the grinding and running and jumping again," said Nowitzki, who sat out four games last month to go through a personal training camp and strengthen his sore right knee. "I think that's more important to me than an All-Star appearance at this point. Ultimately, (we want) to make a push after the All-Star break. That's ultimately where my head is at here." ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki 

Want to own a $36,000 championship ring that's nearly identical to the one Jason Terry wears on his middle finger? Buy your raffle tickets now. Terry has partnered with Celebrities for Charity to raffle off an official replica ring. Proceeds will go to the Jason Terry Foundation to help fund events such as turkey drives during the holidays, coat drives during the winter, the summertime Daddy-Daughter ball and a planned trip to China this summer for the AAU team that Terry's oldest daughter plays on and that the Jet coaches. "It's a unique opportunity,'' Terry said Monday at a news conference to kick off the opening of the raffle. "It doesn't happen often. These fans, they were proud of us. And everywhere we go, what do they ask you? They want to see that ring. And one fans is going to definitely be able to say, 'Hey, not only can you see it, but I got it, and it's right here.''' ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Jason Terry 

Don't be misled about how the winner will be chosen. This is not an auction in which the highest bidder comes out on top. This is a raffle. A winner will simply be selected from the number of tickets bought online. More good news is that the hefty taxes that will be due on the ring will be covered by the Jason Terry Foundation and Charities for Celebrities. The winner will not be responsible. So let the raffle begin. "I'm very competitive. I want to beat Ron Artest," Terry said. "We're hoping to raise $600,000 to $800,000. Hopefully, with the support of Mav nation, we can get it done.'' ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Jason Terry 

Nowitzki was asked after today's practice whether he thinks he can make a case for himself for being included in this month's All Star game in Orlando. "Not really," he said. "I mean, averaging whatever, 15, 16 points, I don't think you should be an All-Star. "But we'll just have to wait and see. I think there's a lot of great young talent in this league that deserves to go. I think LaMarcus Aldridge has been stiffed the last couple of years. He's a great young player, fun to watch. You know Blake (Griffin); and (Kevin) Love is playing great, so there's a lot of talent at my position. We'll just have to wait and see what happens." Dallas Morning News

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, All-Star 

According to sources close to this process Howard’s top destination remains New Jersey/Brooklyn with Dallas, LA and Orlando being viewed as equals if things don’t come together in New Jersey as planned. Sources close to the process say that both Howard and Deron Williams have been talking to their friends around the league about the Nets and assuming the Nets can make the moves both Howard and Williams want, both would agree to new deals with the Nets as free agents. HoopsWorld

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Free Agency, Dwight Howard 

Brendan Bowers: Delonte on Cavs future: "w/ the support this city shows, their owner, & the young talent here, I can see them back contending in a few yrs" Twitter

Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Delonte West 

Brendan Bowers: Talked to Delonte West. He said he considers CLE fans not actually fans, but "his friends". Said it was great to come back & see his friends Twitter

Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Delonte West 

Dwain Price: After getting fined $75K by the NBA 4 criticizing the referees, Mavs owner Mark Cuban will donate $75K-$1 million to the 4 Anna Foundation. Twitter

Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban 

Earl K. Sneed: Dirk on the Barkley comments: "Well, we'll just have to wait and see. I couldn't prove him wrong the last couple of weeks." Twitter

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, Charles Barkley 

The Lakers are indeed on the long list of teams interested in Cavs point guard Ramon Sessions, but sources say that Cleveland would expect at least one first- round draft pick from L.A. in exchange. Although the Lakers have their own first-round pick and Dallas' first-rounder in 2012, it's believed that L.A. prefers to hold off on using either of those picks or its $8.9 million trade exception (created by the deal that sent Lamar Odom to the Mavs) until Dwight Howard's situation plays out in Orlando. ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Trade, Ramon Sessions 

Blake Griffin's dunk over Kendrick Perkins has everyone scrambling to try to figure out where it ranks all time, and naturally your dunk over Frederic Weis at the Olympics is a big part of that discussion. What goes through your mind when you see footage of that dunk now? Vince Carter: I hope I can explain this the right way. It was a moment that I'm very proud of. But people always ask me: "What's your favorite dunk?" And it's hard for me to say. I do them for other people to enjoy them. But I will say that dunk [over Weis] was an out-of-body experience. That's not something I set out to do. If you would have asked me, even when I was jumping my highest, I would never, ever in my life have said that I would have jumped over somebody. People are still talking about a dunk that was 10, 11, 12 years ago. So that's a great feeling. It's something that can never be duplicated. I tried it [later] and couldn't really accomplish it again. ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Vince Carter, Blake Griffin 

Lamar Odom may be struggling with the Dallas Mavericks, but he’s doing fine financially. Not only is Odom making $8.9 million this season, he also recently sued the Internal Revenue Service and won. Noah Sheer – the director of the Sports and Entertainment division at Cherry, Bekaert & Holland – describes how Odom was able to beat the IRS and what it means for other NBA players going forward. HoopsWorld

Dallas Mavericks, Lamar Odom, Showbusiness 

I personally think Howard was joking when he said that given recent speculation that he doesn’t want to play with Rose because they endorse the same sneakers. The reporter from the Chicago Tribune who asked Howard wasn’t a basketball writer, so Howard probably didn’t know him. I’ve seen Howard in such situations and he’ll make up stuff, though as I wasn’t there I have no idea the context. Though in invoking God to determine his fate also suggests Howard has no destination he plans to go, which belies his agent asking the Magic if they can talk with Dallas, the Lakers and Nets. Which is why I didn’t take seriously any change in Howard’s views toward Chicago. Everything I hear is he still has no interest in playing for the Bulls, and to me that only changes when he says he wants to resign with the Bulls. I haven’t heard that yet. NBA.com

Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Trade, Dwight Howard 

The NBA doled out double fines Friday morning, penalizing Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban for $75,000 for his criticism of the officials to ESPNDallas.com after Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, Rick Carlisle