If SasuSaku happens in part 1 or early part 2, then yeah I can imagine NaruSaku wouldn't develop much of a bond. We can see their bond is non-existent post the ending and in Boruto as evidence for that.
Their connection and friendship for much of the series was on getting Sasuke back and as soon as Sasuke was back, they don't act much more than acquaintances. That's why I always thought the brother/sister arguments were weak arguments. I don't see one moment of them acting like best friends or brother/sister in Boruto.
Once you remove any notion of romance for Naruto and Sakura, then there is basically nothing left for their relationship for ikemoto or kishimoto to write about.
That's because executive/editorial mandate made it so they no longer had a bond. As Naruto and Sakura had gotten so close they would come off as more of a couple than the pairings that actually happen. Sakura was no longer a main character and was all but cut out of Team 7. Her only role of importance now is to be the mother of Sarada and she is only important as she is the most likely love interest of Boruto.
Which also weakens the IPs story. As restoring Team 7 was a major plot line in part two of Naruto, if not the most important. Why should anyone care about the story if when they accomplish this goal the bond of team 7 ceases to exist?
It's true that Sasuke didn't give a damn about any fangirl, like Ino.
The conviviality on Team 7 played a key role in making Sakura stand out.
Eventually, Sasuke came to consider her an dear person to him and want to protect her.
Meanwhile, Sasuke made it clear Naruto became his best friend. Sakura's importance to him, however, remained open-ended. Was she just another best friend?
I'm not saying Sasuke will ask her out. never.
But it's possible that eventually, he will come to accept her feelings, if she were to grow even more in importance to him.
Just like he had no problem accepting her romantically at the end of the manga when he stopped to being obsessed about revenge and let his past go...
What made her stand out from just another fangirl was chapter three; where she disgusted him on a personal level with her comment on orphans. Before that, she was just another girl in his crowd of fangirls.
"Sasuke saw Naruto as his best friend, so he must have saw Sakura as his girlfriend." You are making an assumption and an assertion that is not supported anywhere in the manga.
Let's go to Sasuke leaving the village, where Sakura pours her heart out and Sasuke make it clear how he feels about her.
To sum it up:
Sasuke: "I am leaving the village and abandoning everything for the sake of power. So, I can avenge my clan as that is what's most important to me."
Sakura: "Please stay out of the love you bear for me, remember when you complimented my forehead."
Sasuke: "I don't know what you are talking about, I don't love you, I see you as a teammate, and I am ending that bond here. Bye"
I talked about this last year in comparison to what they did with Nail. So I don't mind explaining it again. "The Tragedy of Sasuke Leaving The Village," is that each of his teammates had their chance to convince him in their own way to stay and could have convince him to remain in the village, but only Naruto was able to reach him at the point he had gone too far to go back.
Sakura did have the chance to convince Sasuke as much as the rest of her teammates but the conversation showed how much the Forehead Compliment while it was preventing NS from happening till it resolved, damaged SS far worse. As Sakura always had a misunderstanding that Sasuke always had feelings towards her. So she never really got to know him or bond with him. So she tried to convince him with a love that wasn't there instead of any friendship that might have formed. Also as shown in 693, Sasuke picked up on the fact that Sakura had always assumed Sasuke had feelings for her when he never gave any indication of that in his mind, leading to a major factor in him disliking her and thinking she was delusional.
If she hadn't just assumed that she was Sasuke's one true love from the start. That all she had to do is just wait for him to feel comfortable with showing it. She may have realized she needed to win his affection and form a bond with him. A bond that could survive him leaving the village, maybe even convince him to stay, and maybe get him to fall in love with her.
I don't think this is relevant. Sakura had several opportunities to ask about this moment, but never brought it up to Sasuke throughout Part 1.
When Sasuke left and she tried to stop him, it was the perfect chance to question him about the Forehead scene. But she remembers the later moment when he called her annoying because of her comment about loneliness.
When Sasuke returned, Sakura could have questioned him about this moment. But she preferred to ask if she could go with him. This led to the Forehead poke, which ironically, touched at the point of Sakura's insecurity.
And again, Sakura didn't relate or even remember the fake Sasuke complimenting her forehead at Chapter 3.
She did bring it up. He said he didn't remember. So she dropped it.
Sasuke doesn't really care about Sakura liking him because he has made it clear he doesn't like her that way.
She did remember the compliment that why she brought up the bench scene or do you really think she was remembering only when he called her annoying?
I believe the NaruSaku relationship would develop much slower or almost become nonexistent in Part 2, just as it was in Part 1 and the post-manga period.
What brought Sakura and Naruto closer together was their mutual desire to bring Sasuke back, along with all the drama that surrounded him + POAL. With Sasuke present, this desire that united them and the POAL simply dissipates.
Of course, Sakura would continue to support Naruto and his dream of becoming Hokage, as she did during the Chūnin Exam.
However, things would dramatically change for NaruSaku relationship in Part 2. For example:
- Naruto would not have most of Sakura's attention in Part 2, as he would not be the only member of Team 7 close to her. Sasuke would be present too.
- Sakura would not have doubts about her feelings and would not be sad with a Sasuke who hasn't committed crimes.
Another important question: Would Sakura ever spontaneously confess her feelings to Naruto without the pressure from Sai about the POAL, and Sasuke in the village?
Probably not, while she would probably confess her feelings to Sasuke at some point, as she did twice in the canon.
Right, I am going to tell you a basic rule in The Guy Code that you clearly don't know about. "If one of your friends seriously likes a girl, even if she into you, you helped him out to see if can they work together; before you even try to go for her." Assuming guys have ever asked you out. Ever wonder why a hot guy you are crushing on is helping his less hot friend get together with you instead of dating you himself, and whether you date the friend or not; he won't touch you? That's why. Because, if he did, every guy would know he is a jerk that broke The Guy Code.
Men in the Audience! SOUND OUT:
As you said, Naruto is Sasuke best friend, who clearly likes Sakura while he doesn't. Team 7 are slowly growing closer with each other. In Part Two and even in part one, Naruto and Sakura naturally click even as just friends. What is preventing Sasuke from helping his best friend get with a girl who he likes and naturally clicks with? He doesn't like her and the longer they are on a team more chance he will just go. "Sakura maybe you should go on a date with Naruto, instead of keep bugging me for one. As I don't like you as in wanting you as a girlfriend."
You also have Karin that may enter the village due to wanting to be with Sasuke. If she is discovered to be an Uzumaki she is Naruto's relative. While there is a rule, to not date a friend's relative, especially without tell them or they are required to beat the kitten out of you while you take it. Naruto would probably want to help out his only living relative. Which leads to another if you do, you treat them with the utmost respect and seriousness, or suffer a beating far worse than the dating one.