He might not "take orders" from SCOTUS, but he does answer to them.....He's Federal Judge, a lifetime appointment. He doesn't take orders from anyone and is hard to censure, let alone fire. Even if he wanted to move up echelon to a CA or SCOTUS, that requires Congressional and WH ass kissing, nothing to do with MGA or the MD branch of the Dem Party.
That said, he may be waiting for CA decisions in 2 & 3CA on cases over NY & NJ laws with similar restrictions. He might not want to issue the PI, but at the same time not be the decision that is the first to make it in front of SCOTUS to get smacked.