if you had to choose between a high-end camera with a low-end lens, vs a low-end camera with a high-end lens, which would you rather have?
You've all strayed off the point. The question was, if you
had to choose. This implies some sort of contraint, either because funds are limited and you want the best bang for your buck, or because supply is limited. If there is no economic constraint, then of course you buy the best lenses available that fit the body, whether it's a low-end or high-end body, consistent with your requirements for focal length, maximum aperture and weight etc.
If you need an FL equivalent to FF 24mm for the cropped format, there are unfortunately no high quality primes available in that range for low-end cameras, so the comparison doesn't apply.