TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie is expected to have "an important role" in President-elect Donald Trump's administration, former New York mayor and top Trump adviser Rudy Giuliani told NJ Advance Media Monday.

"We're still moving the chess pieces around on the board," said Giuliani, a vice-chairman of Trump's transition planning effort. "But I do expect that Governor Christie will have an important role in the administration."

The governor's fortunes were thought to be sagging due to the convictions of two of his former allies in the Bridgegate federal trial and then Friday's announcement that he was demoted from transition planning chief to one of several vice-chairs of the effort.

That narrative was reinforced after Trump on Sunday appointed Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus as his White House chief of staff, a top appointed position in the Trump White House for which Christie was thought to be a strong contender.

A report late Sunday in the New York Post quoted anonymous sources who claimed that Trump had become "disgusted" by Christie's unwillingness to step forward and shield his former deputy chief of staff Bridget Anne Kelly from the consequences of the Fort Lee lane closures made to punish the town's mayor for not endorsing the governor's 2013 re-election. Christie was not called as a witness in the trial.

But on Monday, Giuliani dismissed such talk.

"I can tell you that from Donald Trump's point of view, he tremendously respects Gov. Christie's contributions, and greatly respects the governor's intellect, ability and loyalty," he said.

Giuliani declined to say if the slot expected to be offered to Christie was a cabinet position, adding that the cabinet roster was fluid and still being determined in meetings that are happening this week.

"I will expect he'll be offered something, because the person he has in his corner is Donald Trump," said Giuliani. "And you can quote me on that."

Christie has been mentioned as a possible choice for United States Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Commerce, and even White House counsel.

Some political experts have suggested Trump might steer away from cabinet jobs that would require Senate approval because Christie would likely face tough questioning about the Bridgegate scandal.

Trump will be inaugurated as president on January 20, 2017.

If Christie does decide to serve in Trump's administration, he'd end his governorship a year early, as his term in office ends January 16, 2018.

Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.