NBA-Hornets sign free agent point guard Lin

July 9 (Reuters) - The Charlotte Hornets have signed free agent point guard Jeremy Lin, the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the National Basketball Association, the team said Thursday. Lin, 26, is a five-year NBA veteran, having played with the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers. He has career averages of 11.7 points, 4.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals. "He is a talented player who we feel can make significant contributions to our basketball team," Hornets General Manager Rich Cho said in a statement. Lin played with the Lakers last season, averaging 11.2 points, 4.6 assists, 2.6 rebounds in 70 games. (Reporting by Steve Ginsburg in Washington, editing by Alan Baldwin)