has further damaged trust in WordPress.org as the best distribution channel for free plugins.

I think this is the most underrated reason for the whole topic. For free plugins WordPress.org is the best distribution channel (for the users), but for freemium plugins with an upsell offer you need data to measure success. And this is the confusing part here.

It is no secret for everyone following the #forums channel on Slack, that the plugin directory is not a marketplace. It is a plugin repository for free to install plugins. Users are not customers. If you base all your efforts on this distribution channel, then you are doing something wrong. As every platform, WordPress.org can change, add or remove features to better serve the main purpose and this main purpose is not being a marketplace, but being a repo of free plugins.

Although I understand all those who are missing this feature, I think the effort should be used to move on and find better places to sell. Like your own website.