Naruto would be better without the forced seperation of team 7 and giving sakura a goal. Personally I don't like the "become a world class medic" goal something more substantive and expands her personality
Editors made him add this character. He didn't want a rival, I think he didn't even want a girl he just wanted Naruto and mentor. Might have been cool to just have Naruto and Kakashi travelling the world learning about being a shinobi.
Nah he's good. Alot of Kino moments in Naruto included him. Without him we wouldn't had the whole itachi massacre story and then the big plot twist which I thought was pretty good.