To the best of my knowledge; no there isn't.
The association data source is intended as an optimal solution for a specific use case, specifically if you want a light-weight overview of associated data. Stuff like sorting and editing undermine that goal, which is why they were never implemented.
For more complex and flexible solutions, the Xpath source is usually recommended. I'm sort of assuming you have a good reason for not going that route, or you wouldn't be here, but without the particulars it's hard to deliver a definitive solution.
On the surface the Xpath source seems to cover all your bases. The entity selector will allow you to mimic anything you can build with the Association source, which you can extend as much as you want if you don't mind customizing the xpath query yourself. Additionally, xpath sources support pretty much every feature the data grid has, including the ones you've mentioned.
Hope that helps!