I don't think so. They can already track popularity very effectively because they control makerworld, and they could have Bambu studio, the app, and the printer phone home too. I don't think they care enough about the tiny tiny minority of users running orca with a LAN only printer.

More likely, it's technical incompetence. It's just easier (for their cloud) to send everything through their cloud

I think OP meant designs which are not on MakerWorld. And I think technical incompetence is not a reason here otherwise they wouldn't gatekeep the access so much.