nope Naruto never loved Sakura like this, only narusaku shippers believe something happened but reality is pretty different.
Sakura had a crush for Sasuke and he liked her a bit too, both really fell in love at an early stage in the manga (before Sasuke left the village imo, he was the only one always concerned about her and that's why Naruto cared for her, because he cares for Sasuke first of all not because he loves her) but Sasuke rejected her love (he did the same with Naruto's love) and she was very immature (always crying and this doesn't work with him).
Naruto had a little crush for Sakura but once he found both her and Sasuke were already linked, he clearly moved on and never loved her more than a partner or maybe a sister.
Sakura is his bro love, when they were fighting against Gaara, Sasuke make him promise to protect her and later Sakura make him promise to save him.
do you really think Naruto is totally stupid?
when Sasuke was in bed in hospital, Sakura was crying and grabbing him and what happened?
Naruto walked away because he understood they were meant to be together forever and that he must protect them both because they are his friends and team.
also, when Sakura lied to Naruto, he clearly rejected her and remembered her whom is the only one they both love, she never had a chance with him and she never even tried because her heart was always linked to Sasuke's heart.
Naruto and Hinata in the other hand...Kushina and Minato bis repetita placent!
re read the manga it was meant to happen and planned since day 1 too *_*
so no, it's not a rebound, Naruto discovered romantic love little by little but always as a watcher, he was never involved in a romantic love before Hinata's confession, this event is the key which unlocked his heart forever.
nobody except his mom told him "i love you", do you realized that?
and he met Kushina after Hinata's confession...and he asked her what?
yeah how she met Minato and how they fell in love, what a coincidence...the boy whom know nothing about romantic love asking his mom about the subject just after a girl confessed her love for him
