When Bryan Colangelo ran the Philadelphia 76ers from 2016 until 2018, multiple sources say he seemed to prefer to build around Ben Simmons over Joel Embiid.
Embiid previously enjoyed a close relationship with Sam Hinkie, who was already gone by the time the 76ers won the lottery in 2016 and selected Simmons.
The arrival of Daryl Morey resulted in a sizable shift favoring Embiid in the power dynamic. Morey almost immediately began pursuing a trade of James Harden with Simmons as the centerpiece of the offer.
Simmons didn't run away from the idea of a trade to the Houston Rockets and even began looking at real estate as it looked like Philadelphia might actually get a deal done. Simmons imagined what it would be like to have a team built around him and playing his style.
Simmons moved past the trade talks by having an All-Star season and finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Sources say Simmons' comfort in the organization had diminished, confidantes said.