Longtime NBA Exec Michelle Leftwich To Join Hawks' Front Office As Top Aide To GM Schlenk

The Hawks will soon hire longtime NBA exec MICHELLE LEFTWICH to "join their front office as a top aide" to GM TRAVIS SCHLENK, making her "one of the league's highest-ranking women in basketball operations," according to sources cited by Marc Stein of the N.Y. TIMES. Sources said that Leftwich, who has worked in the league office for more than two decades, is "expected join the Hawks next month" as their new VP/Salary Cap Administration. Sources added that the Hawks are hiring Leftwich to "closely assist and advise Schlenk on salary cap matters, league rules and planning on signings and trades." Leftwich has "spent the last decade" as VP & Assistant General Counsel, reporting to NBA General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer RICK BUCHANAN. In that role, Leftwich has "focused on various legal dealings while also working in basketball operations at the league level on matter such as player contracts, collective bargaining, trade approvals and both league and team operations" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/20).