After Devean George put the kibosh on the first attempt of the Dallas Mavericks to obtain Jason Kidd from the New Jersey Nets, some tweaking may have finally achieved Jason Kidd’s second tour of Dallas duty.

Jeff Caplan of the FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM reports this morning that the Mavs are now “set to part with point guard Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop and Maurice Ager, with Trenton Hassell and the semi-retired Keith Van Horn replacing Jerry Stackhouse and Devean George. The Mavs are also including $3 million and two first-round draft picks.”

Kidd: “I think we’re closer to understanding where the deal stands. I don’t have to answer that question anymore, so hopefully that’s the case.”

While Caplan reports that the deal is essentially done, we’ve heard that before. There are indeed still some hurdles to climb over before Kidd reports for his second Dallas tour of duty.

Caplan: “The source said the trade will be submitted to league lawyers today for approval and barring any more snags, the source said Kidd could be in uniform when the Mavs resume play Wednesday against the Western Conference-leading Hornets in New Orleans.”

Mavs owner Mark Cuban: “It’s breathing. But it’s not done.”

One possible problem is that Van Horn hasn’t played in a couple seasons and hasn’t filed retirement papers, so technically this trade could still go south if David Stern decides that Van Horn is essentially all but retired in name.

Even if it is done, one prominent former Maverick and current broadcaster Jamal Mashburn doesn’t think the new deal will help the Mavs much when it comes to overcoming the Lakers, Suns and Spurs. Mashburn told the THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, “I still think they’re about the same. I think they’re still behind the Los Angeles Lakers, the Phoenix Suns and also the San Antonio Spurs. They have to give up some pieces. I mean, they didn’t have to give up Jerry Stackhouse - his toughness off that bench - and he provides leadership.

“But when I look at giving up DeSagana Diop, I think he’s a 7-footer, a backup center. When you look at him backing up Erick Dampier in the post, he’s critical, because out West they have to go up against frontlines like San Antonio with [Tim] Duncan and also Phoenix with Shaquille O’Neal and Amare Stoudemire, Utah Jazz with [Carlos] Boozer. So I think it’s still going to be very difficult. I think the Jazz are going to be very good. But the Mavericks, I think, are going to stay right there in the middle.

“Jason Kidd is an upgrade; he’s a Hall of Famer. But they’re going to lose something in that paint area.”

The re-working of the deal by Cuban doesn’t necessarily make the trade any better, as Dallas is still sacrificing bench depth and a younger guard in Harris in a desperation ploy to keep up with the Joneses after the Lakers and Suns made their moves.