PHILADELPHIA -- Mark Cuban planned to use All-Star weekend to propose a motion for the NBA to consent to a third-party review of its officiating program, but the idea was quickly rejected by the NBA -- despite support from other teams, the Dallas Mavericks' owner said.

"Before the discussion could go on any further, (NBA deputy commissioner) Russ Granik stepped in and said: 'No. End of story,' " Cuban told the Dallas Morning News in a story published Sunday.

"So much for doing things behind the scenes in 'the proper manner,' " Cuban told the newspaper. "What is the point of committees or the board if Russ can slam something down like that?"

In response, NBA commissioner David Stern told the News: "I am the independent (third party). There are 29 teams, and they have selected me as the independent auditor -- and they know how to get rid of me."

The Mavericks were represented at Friday's Rules and Competition Committee session by assistant general manager Keith Grant. The Mavericks submitted the third-party idea after an update to the teams on the state of refereeing from NBA director of officials Ed Rush.

"A bunch of people agreed with (Grant) and liked the idea," Cuban told the News. "Ed said it was very technical and that (a review) would be too (complicated) to provide. (Several teams) said they wanted to see it anyway. We asked if the issue could be presented to the Board of Governors for review (in April). Russ stepped in to kibosh the discussion, and he wasn't even part of the ongoing discussion."

Granik said Saturday he did not want to "get into what goes on at a committee meeting."

Cuban was fined $500,000 earlier this season for criticizing NBA officiating.

"When an effort is met by a single-word decapitation, it makes it hard to encourage people to pursue change," Cuban said. "(But) we will continue to pursue change. There are a growing number of teams who believe there is a need for operational change in the NBA and are stepping up to join us in open discussion about how to improve the league.

"No one is saying I'm dead wrong on any issue, that the league is doing all these things right and that I should leave them alone. No one in the league office or outside of it. They only question me doing it publicly, which tells me I am on the right path."