BRIEFLY : GRETZKY EXPECTED TO GIVE ST. LOUIS THE BLUES.

The St. Louis Blues knew it was a risk when they dealt three promising players and a top draft pick to the Kings for Wayne Gretzky. Now, apparently, the gamble has failed.

The Blues confirmed Friday that Gretzky, the NHL's career scoring leader and perhaps the league's biggest marquee name, will become a free agent Monday, the day after his contract expires.

Teams reportedly interested in Gretzky include the Mighty Ducks, New York Rangers and Phoenix Coyotes.

``We didn't work 3-1/2 months to acquire him to let him go to free agency, but we were aware that was a possibility,'' Blues coach and general manager Mike Keenan said.

``I think there's some disappointment, but I think it's more of a surprise to me,'' team president Jack Quinn said. ``They came back and tried to put some extra whipped cream on the table, and the table wouldn't hold it.''

Quinn said the Blues have pulled their offer to Gretzky, though he did not rule out signing him.

Earlier, Gretzky said any decision he would make regarding St. Louis hinged on whether the Blues would commit to keeping close friend Brett Hull. But he also told ESPN that he would be interested in ending his career alongside another close friend, Mark Messier of the Rangers.

The Blues, already the league's oldest team, acquired the 35-year-old Gretzky in late February for highly regarded forwards Craig Johnson, 23, Roman Vopat, 21, and Patrice Tardif, 25. The Blues also surrendered to the Kings their 1997 first-round draft pick and a fifth-round selection in last week's draft.

NBA  Milwaukee Bucks assistant coaches Frank Hamblen, Jim Eyen and Butch Carter were fired by new coach Chris Ford, who will begin interviewing and assembling a new staff immediately, the team said in a release.

Eyen was a Clippers assistant from 1988-89.

``When I was hired, I was given the opportunity to select my own assistants,'' said Ford, who replaced Mike Dunleavy on April 27 (though Dunleavy was retained as general manager). ``After meeting with each member of the current staff individually, the decision has been made to go in a new direction.''

Mark Macon, waived by the Detroit Pistons in April, is charged in a Flint, Mich., warrant with carrying a concealed weapon in his car.

Macon's attorney, Gregory J. Reed, said Macon was surprised he was charged because he had cooperated with police and he volunteered the information about the weapon and allowed police to search his car.

Craig Ehlo became a free agent after the Atlanta Hawks declined to exercise their option on his contract, which would have paid him $1.8 million for the 1996-97 season.

Ehlo, a 6-foot-7 guard, averaged 8.5 points last season, his third with Atlanta after seven seasons at Cleveland. The Hawks have told Ehlo they would welcome him back next season if he fails to agree to terms with another club.

The Pistons acquired Arizona State guard Ron Riley from Seattle in exchange for a second-round pick in next year's draft.

Riley, who was drafted No. 47 by Seattle last Wednesday night, is a 6-5, 205-pound shooting guard who also has played at small forward. He is the Sun Devils' all-time scoring leader with 1,834 points in 116 college games and the only player in Arizona State history to reach 1,600 points, 500 rebounds and 200 steals.

BOXING Jerry Williams, who trains with Joe Goossen in Van Nuys, faces Henry Akinwande of England for the vacant WBO heavyweight championship tonight in Indio.

Also, unbeaten Ricardo Lopez of Mexico defends his WBC strawweight title against Kitichai Preecha of Thailand.