It's been an open secret leading up to the blockbuster trade sending James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers that the Nets star was unhappy in Brooklyn.

One massive reason, literally and figuratively, was reportedly what James Harden saw in new Sixers teammate Joel Embiid that he didn't see in former Nets teammate Kyrie Irving.

According to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, Harden was seeing the grass as much greener in Philly. Beyond the souring relationship between he and Kevin Durant, it was the juxtaposition of Embiid and Irving that did it for him.

In Embiid, he saw a lone superstar posting MVP numbers and trying to will a franchise to a title on his own. In Irving, he had a part-time teammate who prided himself over his anti-vaccine mandate convictions over trying to help James on the court.

Via Bleacher Report:

Sixers figures spoke of how Embiid fully embraced becoming Philadelphia's lifeblood with Simmons out of the picture. Other league observers posited Embiid was auditioning for his next co-star. Harden saw another talent hungering for his first ring, according to several people close to him.

Irving, on the other hand, was willing to miss half of Brooklyn's playoff games.

“Kyrie not being held accountable and Kyrie being allowed to do whatever he wants. James, being his age, knows he doesn't have any time to waste to get his first championship,” one source close to Harden told B/R.

What we're seeing from Embiid this season, we saw the same thing from James Harden on the Houston Rockets not too long ago. The idea of two MVP-caliber pieces joining forces to win a ring probably seemed like the perfect match for him compared to what he had in Brooklyn.

Both his superstar teammates had already won their own titles and weren't in as much of a chase as he was. In Joel Embiid, he has exactly what he needs with the Sixers.