The Dallas Mavericks traded Josh Richardson to the Boston Celtics, and the general belief is they made the move to improve their chance on landing Kyle Lowry in free agency.

Boston is absorbing Richardson's $11.6 million contract through their trade exception from the Gordon Hayward deal. In turn, it helps the Mavs clear cap space.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN noted, the Mavs also create a $10.9 million trade exception as part of the deal.

Interestingly, upon the trade, fans and experts alike highlighted how Mark Cuban and Dallas positioned themselves to make a run for All-Star guard Kyle Lowry. The veteran playmaker is set to be an unrestricted free agent, and recent reports indicated that he's looking for a three-year deal that will pay him $30 million annually.

For what it's worth, prior to the draft and their latest trade, the Mavs have been rumored to be among the suitors gearing to chase Kyle Lowry in free agency. They are said to be “going hard” for the 2019 NBA Champion with the Toronto Raptors.

Per Zach Harper of The Athletic:

“… But Lowry is the biggest priority. Putting him next to Luka Doncic is a perfect fit because he can play off the ball and he can run the offense when Luka needs a break from those duties. He’s a knockdown shooter, a great defender and he has the culture and leadership qualities the Mavs desire.”

Aside from Lowry, the Mavs also want to retain Tim Hardaway Jr. THJ is set to command a lot of money in free agency after his playoff performance for the team in 2021, but Dallas also need to keep him and his scoring as proved to be a nice complementary piece alongside Luka Doncic.

It remains to be seen if Dallas will be successful in their free agency pursuits. However, it sure looks like the team is serious in their bid to improve the roster surrounding Doncic.