Nope, even if the pads are raised slightly it won’t make it responsive, unless it’s raised so high that it will look very obvious.
I don’t know if it was due to the camera, but on the second middle photo you can see the bearing is very slightly more on the right side of the picture, WITHOUT load. Maybe, just maybe the bearing seat is defective.
Try this, put the bearing at the seat on one side of the yoyo, press it down firmly, and then spin it back and forth while pushing it to the sides. If the bearing area is indeed defective, you’ll have that one spot where it will grind.
If that’s the problem, personally I would return the yoyo or try fixing it myself by sanding either the tip of the bearing or the bearing area spot where it’s grinding, depending on which one I want to risk.
Yes, the bevel of the bearing might also be the cause if the bearing area on the yoyo is badly designed or machined, though normally it shouldn’t happen, not on a Yoyojam.